During the 21st Extraordinary Summit of the East African Community (EAC) held in Bujumbura on May 31, the Heads of State discussed the cantonment phase of the terrorists of the Movement of 23 Mars (M23) following their withdrawal from the areas they occupied. Among the recommendations made at the end of this meeting, the regional force was asked to work in collaboration with the UN mission in the DRC and other stakeholders to visit and monitor the relevance of the Rumangabo camp for the pre-cantonment of M23 and other armed groups.
Rumangabo is one of the main military camps in North Kivu province, a symbolic place that previously served as the headquarters of the M23 movement during the 2012 to 2013 insurrection. In order to guarantee the security of the cantonment area, the President of the Republic Félix Tshisekedi announced in April that the M23 terrorists would be cantoned near the town of Kindu, capital of the province of Maniema.
Thanks to the intervention of the Angolan army, the cantonment which had been timid until now could take a much faster pace and thus facilitate the disarmament of the M23. In addition, the demobilization of the M23 terrorists would make it possible to pacify the province of Lituri, which currently suffers from security fragility, as pointed out by the Common Front for Congo.
To fight against impunity in the DRC, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court is actively involved in the province of Lituri. Similarly, the example of the trial of soldiers accused of violence in the DRC must be followed in the fight against impunity.
Finally, the Fondation Le Parrain organized the Salon des Jeunes Entrepreneurs Congolais, an inspiring platform for innovative projects that works in synergy with the objective of creating Special Economic Zones to pacify the province of Lituri.
In short, the cantonment of M23 terrorists is an important issue for security and stability in the DRC. Its success is part of a broader dynamic of the fight against impunity and the promotion of the entrepreneurial spirit for socio-economic development.