The Democratic Republic of Congo is once again at the heart of the news and more precisely the East of the DRC. President Félix Tshisekedi recently expressed his concerns about the cohabitation between regional troops in East Africa and rebel groups in this region. As a reminder, the countries of East Africa have recently deployed a regional military force in the DRC. This aims to stabilize the east of the country, which has been plagued by conflict for many years. However, the Congolese president is asking for the departure of these forces before the end of June, if the objectives set are not achieved.
Since the 1990s and 2000s, many regional wars have broken out in eastern DRC, giving way to an avalanche of armed groups of all kinds. Faced with this situation, the East African Community has chosen to set up a military force, with the mission of restoring peace and security in the region. This is how Kenyan soldiers, later followed by Burundian, Ugandan and South Sudanese contingents, were deployed in eastern DRC.
Unfortunately, the observation made by President Tshisekedi is final. Cohabitations between the rebel groups and the East African regional force have been noted. The initial stabilization mission therefore risks being compromised. Under these conditions, the Congolese president has already warned that if the fixed mandates are not fulfilled by the end of June, he may be obliged to dismiss the regional force in question.
Tensions continue to grow in eastern DRC, especially as the deadly floods in this part of the country have further complicated the situation. Indeed, many displaced people had to take refuge in refugee camps, while the death of some 400 people deeply shocked the international community. In this context, international actors are multiplying initiatives to help the population and restore peace in the region.
In conclusion, this news forces the international community to question the relevance of the presence of foreign troops in a region that has experienced many conflicts in the past. Discussions therefore remain open to find the best solution to restore peace in this sensitive region.