On February 24, defense chiefs from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC) met in Dar es Salaam to talk about the ongoing conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The meeting came after a previous gathering of EAC military chiefs in Nairobi last week, which focused on ongoing regional initiatives to bring stability to the unstable area.
Uganda’s Chief of Defense Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, was represented by Maj. Gen. James Birungi, Chief of Defense Intelligence and Security.
Gen. Rudzani Maphwanya of South Africa, Gen. Mubarakh Muganga of Rwanda, Gen. Charles Kahiriri of Kenya, and Gen. John Mkunda of Tanzania were among the defense chiefs who attended.
Zimbabwe, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, Malawi, and other EAC and SADC member states all sent representatives.
The meeting ended with the signing of a joint proposal, which will now be presented to the EAC and SADC councils of ministers for further consideration. The ministers are expected to revise the proposal before presenting it to the heads of state for final approval and execution.
The meeting reflects a coordinated regional response to the crisis, with a focus on military and political strategies to restore stability in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Nairobi and Dar es Salaam meetings were held in response to a directive issued by the EAC-SADC Heads of State Summit earlier this month in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
On Monday, the defense chiefs focused on critical directives such as an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, humanitarian assistance to affected populations, and the reopening of major supply routes to aid delivery.
Other critical issues addressed included the creation of a comprehensive securitization plan for Goma and surrounding areas, the immediate reopening of Goma Airport, and recommendations for other facilitative interventions to help stabilize the region.
Long-standing conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has involved armed groups and ethnic tensions.
The M23 rebels have intensified the crisis in recent weeks by taking over important cities like Goma and Bukavu, making regional intervention increasingly necessary.
At least 7,000 have been killed since January in the eastern DRC, according to the country’s prime minister, Judith Suminwa.
She told Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday that some 450,000 people are without shelter after displacement camps were destroyed.
Discover more from tndNews, Uganda
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.