The issue of security in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) remains a major concern for the Heads of State of the East African Community (EAC). On May 31, they met in Bujumbura to discuss the security situation in the east of the country. During this extraordinary summit, the heads of state ordered the regional force to work in collaboration with the heads of the defense forces, MONUSCO and other stakeholders to visit and verify within three weeks the relevance of the Rumangabo camp for the pre-cantonment of M23 and other armed groups.
The cantonment of terrorists from the March 23 Movement (M23) is a delicate issue that has preoccupied the region for several years. The choice of the Rumangabo military base for the pre-cantonment of the M23 raises questions, knowing that the base has already served this purpose in the past. In addition, the President of the Republic Félix Tshisekedi announced last April that the M23 terrorists would be confined to Kindu, capital of the province of Maniema. The presence of the Angolan army in eastern DRC is also planned to facilitate the withdrawal of M23 members.
This decision by the EAC Heads of State aims to ensure that local armed groups do not occupy areas ceded by the M23 and other foreign armed groups to be disarmed and repatriated, and to ensure that disarmament and demobilization of terrorists take place under the best conditions. The security situation in eastern DRC remains worrying despite efforts to bring peace to the region. Constant vigilance is therefore required to guarantee the safety of the population.