Round table on the assessment of the state of siege in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri: a crucial opportunity for peace in the DR Congo
Initiated by the President of the Republic Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi, the round table on the evaluation of the state of siege in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri was held from August 14 to 16, 2023 in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. This initiative, which aims to assess the security situation in the east of the country, has raised great hopes as to the decisions that will be taken.
In this context, Christian Bushu Kashani, a Congolese citizen originally from Masisi territory and currently on mission in Cameroon, welcomed this initiative while expressing his concerns. He indeed questioned the opportunism of certain elected officials who took advantage of this opportunity to put themselves forward in the media, despite their absence during the last five years of their mandate.
In an interview with CongoProfond.net, Christian Bushu Kashani said: “Since the start of the meeting, social networks have been saturated with photos and videos on the theme of the round table. Yes, that’s good, but what a difference will he do after five years of silence?The people flooding social networks with their images are almost the same ones who were absent all this time.It’s time to make way for a new generation that really cares about the country and its region, North Kivu.”
This declaration underlines the importance of the sincere commitment of political leaders in solving the problems affecting the country. It highlights the need for a renewal of political actors and greater consideration of citizens’ concerns.
The state of siege, which has been in place in Ituri and North Kivu since 2021, has improved the security situation in these provinces, but much remains to be done to guarantee lasting peace. The round table was therefore a crucial opportunity to take stock of this measure and to take decisions for the future.
Roundtable participants included heads of institutions, MPs and relevant civil society actors. Their objective was to decide on the reclassification, maintenance or lifting of the state of siege in these provinces.
President Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi has shown real political will by initiating this round table and by taking measures to guarantee the security of the populations of eastern DR Congo. He thus showed his commitment to peace and the development of the country.
In conclusion, the round table on the assessment of the state of siege in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri represents a crucial opportunity for the search for lasting solutions to the security problems in the East of the DR Congo.. It highlights the need for a real commitment on the part of political actors and a genuine consideration of citizens’ aspirations. We hope that the decisions taken during this round table will contribute to establishing a lasting peace in the region