SADC Chairperson President Mnangagwa will lead a delegation for a joint meeting with EAC to find a resolution to DRC conflict. Image: The Herald Zimbabwe.
(The Post News)– Emmerson Mnangagwa, the president of Zimbabwe and chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), has claimed that the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been unstable for a long time and stressed the importance of communication in order to bring about enduring peace.
He said he believes that it would be ideal for the central government to rule the DRC and not different authorities with different perspectives. Mangagwa also stated that during the SADC and East African Community (EAC) meeting on Saturday in Tanzania, they would try and see if it is possible to ensure “one voice in one country.” According to Mnangagwa, SADC aims to make sure that the central government in the DRC regains full control.
Mnangagwa and his EAC counterpart, Kenyan President William Ruto, will co-chair the joint summit that will tackle the deteriorating security situation in the DRC, which is a member of both regional bodies. Additionally, he stated that on Saturday, attendance at the Extraordinary Summit by all parties involved in the situation would be more fruitful. He will co-chair the combined meeting with President Ruto, leading a Double Troika that includes the nations that contribute troops.
As previously reported, Ruto stated that Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Felix Tshisekedi of the DRC have both committed to attending the summit. However, Rwanda has refuted DRC’s accusations that it supports rebels in the mineral-rich nation. Earlier this week, President Ruto also acknowledged in a statement that he had engaged South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, and other leaders to participate in the process.
The recent fighting in eastern DRC, which has been dogged by conflict for more than 30 years since the 1994 Rwandan genocide between government forces and rebel groups, has left an estimated 900 civilians deceased and displaced tens of thousands more. Meanwhile, Vivian van de Perre, United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) Deputy Head, explained that a unilateral humanitarian ceasefire announced by the M23 group this week was not holding.
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