For several weeks, the situation in North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been under tension. The meeting of the Community of East African States (EAC) held in Bujumbura, took the decision to extend the mandate of the EAC forces deployed in the region until September . However, a few days earlier, Christophe Lutundula, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, had announced that the mandate of the EAC forces will end at the end of June and that it will not be extended.
In addition, in Luanda, during the meeting of the interministerial consultative committee of the countries of the Great Lakes (CIRGL), the sending of troops from the member countries of the Economic Community for the Development of Southern Africa (CIRGL) was mentioned ( SADC). This was decided a few weeks ago in Botswana. However, the question remains on the location of deployment of the soldiers from southern Africa, knowing that all the areas liberated by the rebels of the M23 are occupied by the troops of the EAC.
War specialists are concerned about the transformation of North Kivu into a confrontation ground between the SADC and the EAC, both organizations invited by the power in Kinshasa. In addition, North Kivu civil society officials confirm that the M23 rebels are preparing to take the city of Goma, capital of North Kivu province.
Faced with this situation, Ministers Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo and Mbusa Nyamwisi demanded a firm condemnation of the CIRGL “of any attempt to restart the war on the part of the M23 rebels and Rwanda, its support”.
In short, the situation in North Kivu remains extremely unstable and worrying for the local populations. Regional actors must work together to avoid any escalation that could lead to an “imported” war in the region