Leaders order troop deployment in DR Congo
Left to Right, front row: DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi, Kenya’s William Ruto, President Museveni, and Burundi’s Évariste Ndayishimiye attend the 20th extraordinary summit of the East African Community heads of state in Bujumbura, Burundi, on Saturday. PHOTO | PPU
What you need to know:
- Since April 2021, the M23 rebels have captured territory in DR Congo and cut off supply routes causing trade damages in trillion of shillings to Uganda and Kenya.
The East African Community heads of State have directed the immediate deployment of troops in the eastern DR Congo as M23 rebels sustained their offensive to encircle Goma City. The heads of State met in Bujumbura, Burundi, on Saturday as tensions between Rwanda and DR Congo escalated after military advances by the M23 rebels that Congolese leaders claim are backed by the Rwanda government.
“The summit directed all troop-contributing countries to immediately deploy and urged DR Congo to immediately facilitate the deployment of troops from the Republic of South Sudan and the Republic of Uganda to the East African Regional Force,” a communiqué by the EAC read in part.
The 20th Extra-Ordinary Summit held in Bujumbura in Burundi was attended by the chairman of EAC, who doubles as the president of Burundi, Évariste Ndayishimiye. President Museveni, DR Congo’s Felix Tshisekedi, Kenyan’s William Ruto, Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu, and Rwanda’s Paul Kagame were all in attendance. South Sudan President Salva Kiir sent a delegate because he was hosting Pope Francis.
Since April 2021, the M23 rebels have captured territory in DR Congo and cut off supply routes causing trade damages in trillion of shillings to Uganda and Kenya.
Last month, Uganda and South Sudan said they were to deploy to eastern DR Congo as per the EAC heads of state resolutions in April 2022. But it is only Kenya that has deployed. South Sudan leaders said they needed funds to enable them to deploy while Ugandan authorities haven’t yet stated the reasons why they haven’t deployed. Rwanda also wanted to send troops to DR Congo under the regional force, which DR Congo rejected.
In the Saturday meeting, the EAC heads of state directed an immediate ceasefire “by all parties”.
“The heads of State directed withdrawal including all foreign armed groups and directed the chiefs of defence forces to meet within one week and set new timelines for the withdrawal and recommend appropriate deployment matrix,” the statement further reads in part.
According to the communiqué, withdrawal should be accompanied by dialogue. Congolese authorities have refused to negotiate with M23 rebels and they have declared them terrorists.
Last month, President Kagame of Rwanda said M23 rebels aren’t terrorists as alleged by the Congolese authorities, but they are people whose rights have been violated by the Congolese government.
He accused the Congolese government of violating the rights of Tutsis of Rwandan origin in Eastern DRC. However, the heads of State said in their communiqué that the political process should involve all parties in DR Congo and that all armed groups should embrace dialogue.
