African leaders call for peaceful solution to conflict in DR Congo

Dar Es Salaam, Feb 9 (IANS) Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan and other African leaders reaffirmed their full support for seeking a lasting solution to the ongoing conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Speaking at the opening session of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) heads of state and government summit in the port city of Dar es Salaam on Saturday, Hassan said Tanzania will continue supporting all efforts made by the EAC, SADC and the international community to resolve the conflict in the DRC.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Hassan said that dialogue is the best way to achieve lasting peace and security in the DRC.

All parties should engage in peace dialogue and mediation to find possible solutions to the situation in the DRC, she said, urging leaders of relevant countries to maintain unity at every step in the pursuit of peace and security in eastern DRC, Xinhua news agency reported.

“This meeting provides us with an opportunity to demonstrate our readiness and commitment to seeking peace and security for our brothers and neighbors in the DRC,” Hassan told the summit, which was co-chaired by herself, the chairperson of the EAC, Kenyan President William Ruto, and the chairperson of SADC, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

“It is my hope that, through our unity, we will carry out this duty with the highest level of integrity,” she added.

Ruto reiterated calls for the parties in the conflict to immediately cease hostilities and take meaningful steps toward dialogue aimed at restoring stability.

“We stand together in calling on all parties to implement the ceasefire-specifically, for the March 23 Movement (M23) to halt further advancements and for the armed forces of the DRC to cease all retaliatory measures,” he said.

Ruto said that an immediate ceasefire is the only way to create the necessary conditions for constructive dialogue and the implementation of a comprehensive peace agreement.

He reaffirmed the EAC’s strong commitment to achieving sustainable peace, development and regional integration, saying that the security of the DRC is crucial not only for the country’s stability but also for the prosperity and cohesion of the entire EAC and SADC regions. He called upon all parties to prioritise dialogue, cooperation and, above all, the protection of civilian lives.

Mnangagwa urged summit participants to uphold the principles of transparency, truth and determination in the peace talks aimed at resolving the conflict in eastern DRC, ensuring a lasting solution to the crisis.

He also called for the development of a comprehensive strategy to address the long-standing conflict in the DRC, noting that its impact has affected not only the well-being of the country but also the stability of the entire EAC and SADC regions.

As hostilities intensify in eastern DRC, African countries are stepping up efforts to find African-led solutions and avert a broader regional crisis.

According to the United Nations, at least 2,900 people have been killed amid M23 rebels’ capture of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province in eastern DRC. The rebel group claims to have controlled the city since January 26.

The African Union, the SADC and the EAC are actively working to broker a ceasefire, seeking to end the bloodshed and prevent further destabilisation of the region.

–IANS

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