Mini-summit reiterates Joint Plan for peace in eastern DRC

 Luanda - The mini-summit on peace and security in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, reiterated the need to implement the Joint Plan to resolve the crisis in that region of the DRC.

The meeting was an initiative of the Angolan Head of State, João Lourenço, who chairs the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), and is also the African Union (AU)’s mediator in the crisis between Rwanda and the DRC.

The final communiqué reached ANGOP on Sunday, stresses that the Joint Plan for the resolution of the crisis in the east of the DRC is the main instrument for the easing of tensions and the normalizing the political-diplomatic relations between the DRC and the Rwanda.

According to the communiqué, the Joint Plan foresees the cessation of hostilities, in general, and, in particular, of attacks by the M23 against the Armed Forces of the FARDC and MONUSCO, "in strict compliance with the dates set in the decision emerging from the meeting of the Chiefs of Staff of EAC (East African Community)  held in Nairobi", on 9 February 2023.

The Joint Plan also establishes the cantonment and disarmament of the M23, the return of internally displaced people to their areas of origin, such as the return of Congolese refugees in Rwanda to the DRC, as part of the Luanda Roadmap.

The communiqué states that the Heads of State and Government mandated Angola, in collaboration with President Uhuru Kennyatta, a facilitator appointed by the EAC to maintain contact with the leadership of the M23, under the auspices of the President of Burundi and acting EAC, Évariste Ndayishimiye .

The document indicates that the meeting recommended the acceleration of the Demobilisation, Community Reintegration and Stabilisation Programme (P-DDRCS), underway in the DRC.

Finally, the Heads of State and Government reiterated the need to promote internal political and diplomatic dialogue to find a lasting solution to the security crisis throughout the Eastern Region of the DRC.

The mini-summit in Addis Ababa follows the 20th Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State of the East African Community, held on February 4, 2023, in Bujumbura, Burundi.

As for the mini-summit held Saturday, in the Ethiopian capital, it was attended by the Presidents from Rwanda Paul Kagame,  the DRC Félix Tshisekedi, Tanzania Samia Hassan and Kenya William Ruto.

The meeting was also attended by the vice presidents of Uganda Jessica Epel,  South Sudan Hussain Akol, both representing their respective Heads of State. AL/ADR