The East African Community (EAC) held its 21st Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State of the region this Wednesday in Bujumbura (Burundi). Several points were discussed, including the appointment of Deputy Secretaries General, the appointment of the Vice President of the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) and the appointment of a judge to the East African Court of Justice. ‘East Africa. The security situation in eastern DRC was also discussed during this meeting.
Indeed, the deployment of the EAC regional force in the DRC has been criticized in recent times, in particular by the Congolese authorities who have questioned the effectiveness of the mission. The Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Francophonie, Christophe Lutundula Apala, for his part, declared that the troops of the EAC did not give the expected results and that their mandate must be fulfilled by month of June under penalty of being called upon the country.
In response to this speech, Major General Aphaxard Muthuri Kiugu was appointed as the new Force Commander of the EAC in the DRC. The latter has set himself the task of restoring peace and security in the east of the country, a necessary task after the violence and atrocities committed in the region.
However, the deployment of the SADC force in the DRC was seen as a positive development in the region. This decision was approved on May 8 and would allow the regional organization to contribute to the restoration of peace and security in eastern Congo.
The situation in the DRC is complex and requires a global approach to respond to all the challenges that the country must face. Political tensions, tribal conflicts, violence and resource exploitation are all issues related to the upcoming general elections. It is therefore urgent to find inclusive and sustainable solutions to pacify the country and encourage economic development and peace.
Several articles on our blog talk about this news, including the Safu case, LGBTQIA rights, the meeting between the ICC and the victims of Germain Katanga’s atrocities, the issue of elections in the DRC, the need for a global approach to pacify the country and the importance of investing in development rather than contested elections