Title: ICGLR Extraordinary Summit in Luanda: security situation and crisis in Sudan at the center of the debates
On June 3, the Tenth Extraordinary Summit of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) was held in Luanda, the Angolan capital. At the heart of the discussions, the security situation in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as well as the political crisis in Sudan.
Although the Heads of State and Heads of Delegation present did not issue a final communiqué, several principles and recommendations were recalled such as the need to execute the Luanda joint roadmap adopted in November 2023, adjusted in Addis Abeba in February 2023, and to take into account SADC’s decision to deploy its combat troops in eastern DRC.
The summit also recalled the obligation made to the members of the M23 to really withdraw from the occupied zones for a pre-cantonment in Rumangabo before their unconditional disarmament and their cantonment in Maniema for their integration into the PDDRCS.
The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi, joined the discussions and reaffirmed the need for a “joint roadmap from Luanda and Nairobi readjusted to Addis Ababa in February 2023”. He also expressed his support for the deployment of Angolan troops to secure the pre-cantonment of M23 members after their withdrawal from illegally occupied areas and their unconditional disarmament.
Finally, the summit scheduled a quadripartite coordination meeting for next Friday, June 23 in Luanda with the participation of the East African Community, the CIRGL, SADC and ECCAS under the leadership of the African Union.
The Extraordinary Summit of the ICGLR in Luanda took stock of the worrying situation prevailing in the eastern part of the DRC as well as the crisis in Sudan. By recalling the importance of the Luanda joint roadmap, the summit showed its willingness to put in place strategies to ensure the security of the Great Lakes region.