Extraordinary Summit of the East African Community: security in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in the crosshairs
The Heads of State of the East African Community (EAC) held an extraordinary summit in Bujumbura, Burundi on May 31, 2023 to discuss the security situation in the DRC. Following this summit, these leaders strongly condemned the continued violations of the ceasefire decreed in Luanda and Nairobi and ordered their regional force to take measures to stop their resumption.
EAC member countries have ordered their regional force to safeguard and maintain areas emptied by M23 terrorists and other armed groups, and to support the orderly withdrawal of M23 and other armed groups from the remaining occupied areas. The force was also instructed to protect civilians and support the return of internally displaced people to areas vacated by armed groups. The EAC Heads of State welcomed the observation of a lull in recent weeks on the various front lines, attributed to the deployment of all troop contributing countries in their respective areas of operations.
However, the Congolese government and its army, the FARDC, dispute this view of the EAC. Deputy Prime Minister, Defense Minister Jean-Pierre Bemba denounced the arrival of Rwandan troops (RDF) in support of M23 terrorists who are preparing hostilities against the FARDC. The Congolese army spokesman, Major General Sylvain Ekenge, also denounced the Rwandan army and its M23 auxiliaries, who are trying to reoccupy their former positions in Kibumba and Rugari, in the sector under the control of the Force. of the EAC, with the aim of attacking the town of Goma and accentuating the humanitarian crisis and insecurity.
The situation is then at the peak of tension between Rwanda and the DRC. The Congolese government then calls on the national and international community, MONUSCO, the various verification mechanisms and the EAC Regional Force to be witnesses and to put pressure on the RDF/M23 terrorists, so that they respect the agreements and commitments. from Nairobi and Luanda.
The unusual security crisis in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo thus remains very worrying and remains to be closely monitored.