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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Hope as Kagame agrees to engage M23 to cease fire in eastern DRC

Rwandan President Paul Kagame has agreed to engage M23 rebels to stop their insurgency in eastern DRC at the behest of former President Uhuru Kenyatta.

In a statement from Uhuru’s office, the AU-peace envoy and facilitator of the EAC-led Nairobi process on the restoration of peace and security in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, said Kagame agreed to the request following a telephonic conversion.

 

“President Kagame agreed to assist the EAC – facilitator to urge the M23 to ceasefire and withdrawal from captured territories in line with the proposals given by the regional CDFs in their meeting in Bujumbura,” the statement said in part.

The statement said Uhuru briefed President Kagame on his trip to Goma and the appalling situation he witnessed in the internally displaced camp on his tour of Kinshasa and Goma.

“They both agreed on the need to implement and adopt the recommendations of the EAC- chiefs of defence (CDF, and in particular the need for the regional force to immediately take over and secure recently captured areas by the M23.”

It said they agreed to restore and ensure peace, stability and safety for civilians is restored in the north Kivu region.

Uhuru also briefed United Nations secretary general Antonio Guterres on the situation in DRC and appealed to the UN to enhance humanitarian assistance to internally displaced persons in Ituri, South Kivu and North Kivu provinces of the eastern DRC.

The former Kenyan President also spoke to President Ndayishimiye of Burundi and the EAC chairperson President Felix Tshisekedi and updated them on his conversation with President Kagame and Guterres.

Uhuru said he would convey Ndayishimiye and Tshisekedi’s request to Guterres for the UNto assist in the vetting and repatriation of DRC refugees in Rwanda and Uganda.

“The two heads of state also agreed to participate in the Luanda-II in the coming week that shall be held in Luanda Angola to discuss amongst other issues and the humanitarian situation in eastern DRC and to work towards a permanent cessation of hostilities,” the statement said.

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