Ruto and 6 EAC Presidents Issue Directive to DRC Over Conflict

The 24th Extraordinary Summit of the East African Community (EAC) Heads of State, chaired by President William Ruto, has called on all parties involved in the conflict in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to implement an immediate ceasefire.

According to a communiqué from the summit held on Wednesday, January 29, and convened by President Ruto, the regional leaders urged the DRC government to engage directly with the M23 rebels to pursue a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

The leaders expressed concern on the escalating crisis which manifested in attacks on diplomatic missions and called on the DRC government to protect the diplomatic missions.

“The summit called on all parties to the conflict in Eastern DRC to cease hostilities and observe immediate and unconditional ceasefire and facilitate humanitarian access to the affected population,” read part of the communiqué.

It added, "For peaceful settlement of the conflicts, and strongly urged the government of the DRC to engage directly with all stakeholders, including the M23 and other armed groups that have grievances.”

At the same time, the EAC called for a joint summit with the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

“Noting that the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has also been involved in eastern DRC, the summit decided on a joint EAC-SADC summit to deliberate on the way forward and mandated the chairperson to consult with the chairperson of SADC on the urgent convening of the same in the next few days,” read part of the communiqué from the summit.

The virtual summit was attended by President Ruto, President Samia Suluhu Hassan (Tanzania), President Yoweri Museveni (Uganda), President Salva Kiir (South Sudan), President Paul Kagame (Rwanda), President Évariste Ndayishimiye (Burundi), and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (Somalia).

However, DRC President Félix Tshisekedi, whose country is also a member of the EAC, did not attend the summit.

M23, an armed rebel group fighting the Congolese forces, has taken a major control of DRC's Goma in a conflict over resources and power.

The conflict, which dates back for years, resurged in the last few days with the M23 rebels making significant advances in Goma, which is situated at the mineral-rich east DRC.

On Tuesday, January 28, violent protests were witnessed in Kinshasa, DRC's capital, with attacks sustained on multiple foreign diplomatic missions including Kenya.