Last Updated on: 1st May 2023, 03:16 pm
Jinja, May 1, 2023: Troops from Uganda contingent serving under the East Africa Community Regional Force (EACRF) has been deployed in the key area of Mabenga.
The deployment follows a reconnaissance which the contingent conducted on Sunday, April 23, 2023 in the general areas of Kahunga and Mabenga to facilitate the execution of the mission of the East Africa Regional Force in North Kivu, DRC.
In a statement, UPDF says this is in compliance with the decision and consideration of 20th extra ordinary summit of the East African Community heads of state held in Bujumbura-Burundi on February 4, 2023 and the East African Chief of Defence Forces meeting of February 9, 2023, respectively.
The summit directed for the serial withdraw and deployment of the East African Community Regional Force and the deployment of the troops in areas vacated by M23.
“The M23 have withdrawn from Bunagana, Rutshuru territory (Kiwanja) and Mabenga general areas to enable the monitoring of peace process and report violations,” added the statement.
Meanwhile, according to the World Food Programme (WFP), DRC is facing one of the world’s largest hunger crises globally and that the country is a home to the highest number of food-insecure people worldwide at 26.4 million people – a quarter of the population.
In 2022, WFP assisted 6.2 million people (58 percent women) in DRC, moving 97,000.