The security situation in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo once again drew attention during the quadripartite ECCAS, SADC, CIRGL and EAC summit which was held in Luanda, Angola on June 27, 2023. This meeting, organized under the aegis of the African Union with the support of the United Nations, aimed to coordinate and harmonize regional efforts in order to find concrete solutions to the instability prevailing in eastern DRC , particularly with regard to the M23 rebellion supported by Rwanda.
One of the issues discussed at the summit was the financing of the EAC regional force deployed in the North Kivu region. The final communiqué expressed concerns about the lack of predictable, adequate and sustainable funding. In this regard, the AU Commission, in coordination with Quadripartite Members, has been tasked with mobilizing the necessary resources to effectively implement the overall Joint Master Plan. The statement also highlights the financial contributions of Angola and Senegal, as well as the pledge of the Republic of Gabon, calling on AU Member States to contribute financially to peace processes in Africa.
Funding for the EAC regional force has been a matter of debate in recent months. While the DRC claims to have made a significant contribution, accusations have been made that the Congolese government will not bear certain administrative and logistical costs related to the operation of this regional force. This situation led to the resignation of the former force commander, replaced by a new commander appointed by the President of Kenya.
The presence of this regional force in the DRC was heavily criticized, but was extended until September this year during the last EAC summit in Bujumbura. The DRC has accepted this extension, while hoping that the EAC force will bring concrete results on the ground, in accordance with the various regional diplomatic initiatives.
In conclusion, the quadripartite summit made it possible to address the crucial question of the security situation in eastern DRC and the financing of the regional force of the EAC. However, there are still challenges to be met to ensure an effective and sustainable implementation of the actions undertaken to stabilize the region and guarantee peace.