The province of Ituri in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has recently experienced an increase in violence perpetrated by armed groups. However, a glimmer of hope has just emerged in this region, with the signing of an agreement to end the security crisis on Tuesday, May 30, 2023. The signatories of this agreement are the four patriotic resistance forces of Ituri ( FRPI), the cooperative for the development of Congo (CODECO), the patriotic and integrationist force of Congo (FRPI) and the self-defense movement of the province of Ituri (MAPI).
These various armed groups have made a solemn commitment to put an end to all hostilities and violence, and to work for the return of peace, security and social cohesion in Ituri. They signed a roadmap resulting from an inter-armed group dialogue held from May 30 to June 1, 2023 in Aru, capital of the territory of the same name.
Beyond their own commitment, the armed groups recommend that both the national and provincial governments, as well as the international community, support the implementation of this roadmap. Major General Chirimwami Peter, on behalf of the Military Governor of Ituri and Lieutenant General Johnny Luboya N’Kashama, closed these meetings by asking the signatories to perpetuate the achievements of this dialogue and the communities to appropriate them because they aim at the stability of the province of Ituri.
This is encouraging news for the province of Ituri, which has been hard hit by violence from armed groups for several years. This dialogue initiative is a strong signal, showing that the armed groups recognize their responsibility for the violence and that it is possible to find solutions for peace and stability in this region.
It is now important to support the implementation of this roadmap so that peace and stability can finally settle in Ituri. The challenges remain significant, but this success of the inter-armed group dialogue shows that peace is not out of reach. If the different actors work together, solutions can be found to overcome obstacles and for peace to settle in the DRC.