The DRC and the regional force of the East African community are going through a tense period, due to disputes over the mission of this peacekeeping force in eastern DRC. The Congolese authorities wanted the presence of this force to facilitate cross-border trade and allow people to move freely between the different member countries of the community. Which does not seem to be true in practice.
President Félix Tshisekedi presented eight major advantages of this membership in the community: integration of the East, North and South of the DRC into the common telecommunications space for the reduction of costs with neighboring countries, administrative facilities for the mobility of citizens, reduction of customs tariffs for goods received in the ports of Mombasa (Kenya) and Dar es-Salaam (Tanzania), admission of French as an official language of the Community, enlargement of the market, increase in economic potential and investment opportunities in East Africa, as well as the reduction of tensions and regular consultation on issues of common and African interest.
Beyond these economic benefits, the President also hoped for a strengthened fight against the activism of local and foreign armed groups as well as the terrorists who are rampant in the East. But the actions carried out by the regional force of the EAC were not conclusive and caused a breakdown in relations with Kinshasa.
On the other hand, President Tshisekedi obtained from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) the deployment of his military force in eastern DRC. This decision was taken because the force of the EAC no longer met the expectations of the Congolese government, which was looking for an alternative to ensure security in this troubled region.
In addition, the Congolese government has given the regional force of the East African Community a second chance, but relations between the two parties remain strained. Although the SADC has announced the deployment of its force, the fact remains that the situation remains worrying for the DRC and its neighbors in East Africa.
Despite the difficulties, President Félix Tshisekedi still hopes for a fruitful and constructive collaboration with the East African community for the improvement of economic exchanges and the security of the populations in the East of the DRC.