The Deputy Prime Minister of Defense and former combatants of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Jean-Pierre Bemba, is visiting Luanda (Angola) on a working mission. This visit of the Deputy Prime Minister is linked to the holding, this Friday in the Angolan capital, of the Extraordinary Summit of the ICGLR on the security situation in eastern DRC and Sudan. The Angolan Head of State, João Lourenço, is the mediator appointed by the African Union (AU) in the case of aggression against the DRC by Rwanda, under cover of his M23 deputies.
Angola, through its President, heads the presidency of the ICGLR, a sub-regional organization very concerned about the tension in eastern DRC. Angola took the decision on March 11 to send its troops to the DRC, after several violations of the ceasefire by RDF/M23 troops in several localities in North Kivu. The Angolan Parliament had given the green light to send a contingent of around 500 soldiers to the DRC, after the failure of yet another ceasefire that Luanda had negotiated between government troops and rebels.
Jean-Pierre Bemba’s visit to Luanda is therefore a positive sign for the resolution of the security crisis in eastern DRC and Sudan. The main objective of this visit is to secure the areas where M23 members are stationed.
This visit comes in a tense climate in the DRC, where human rights violations are widespread and armed groups are very active. Tensions are also palpable in the country due to the upcoming electoral process. Citizens’ movements have already started to protest against the bill on the distribution of seats in the National Assembly.
In the meantime, the political authorities of the country continue to work for the organization of Enafep, the state examination which each year allows many students to continue their university course. This year, more than 52,000 students take the Enafep in the Kasai region, under the supervision of political and administrative authorities.
Despite continued concerns about security in the territory and the difficult economic situation in the country, the CENI’s efforts have been welcomed by Western embassies in the DRC. Trade is experiencing a slight upturn in activity as the Congolese franc stabilizes on the official foreign exchange market, while the informal market remains affected.
In sum, the situation in the DRC remains volatile, but Jean-Pierre Bemba’s visit to Luanda is a positive step in resolving the security crisis in the east of the country and throughout the Great Lakes region.