The East African Community (EAC) will meet this Wednesday in Bujumbura (Burundi) for the 21st Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State of the region. The discussions will focus on several items such as 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 Court of Justice of East Africa. EAC leaders will also discuss the security situation in eastern DRC, as the EAC regional force deployed in this part of the country has been criticized by Congolese authorities.
This position worries the regional authorities, who deplore the failures of this regional force in the eastern part of the country. Nevertheless, despite this mistrust, Major General Aphaxard Muthuri Kiugu officially took office in Goma as the new EAC Force Commander.
Meanwhile, the DRC welcomed the decision of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to approve the deployment of a force from this regional organization to restore peace and security in the east of the country. This decision encourages the DRC to fight against sexual violence and to respect the rules of subcontracting in the telecommunications sector. Journalists in Kasai Central have also been trained to popularize traditional knowledge to fight climate change, while the Congolese police are committed to fighting sexual violence through a new action plan.
The political situation in the DRC is confused, with the arrest of a cadre of Moïse Katumbi’s party and a bill aimed at banning the consumption of alcohol in professional and educational settings. In addition, a constitutional review is underway to strengthen institutional stability and internal security.
Finally, the humanitarian situation in the DRC is alarming, with women and children particularly vulnerable to daily sexual violence. In this context, the city of Kinshasa has been chosen to assess gender equality in SADC government programs