Angolan head of State João Lourenço Tuesday reiterated the need to normalising the political and diplomatic relations between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda.
The move entails the cessation of hostilities and the immediate withdrawal of the positions occupied by M23 to cantonment centres.
In his speech, delivered at the Summit of the Heads of State and Governments of the political and economic regions of Africa, João Lourenço stressed Angola’s commitment to re-launch foundations to build dialogue and peace between DRC and Rwanda.
The initiative is part to coordinate efforts to promote peace in the African continent, particularly in the east of the DRC, aimed at easing tension between the two neighbouring countries, as a result of the resurgence of M23 that since early 2022.
The president said under the International Conference on Great Lakes Regions (ICGLR), Angola facilitated dialogue between the parties.
Among other aspects, the dialogue allowed the adoption of the Luanda Road Map for the pacification process in the eastern region of DRC.
Lourenço explained that all the organisations at the summit are committed to the same mission.
The objective is to see the Great Lakes region free of the scourges of conflict, which irretrievably postpone development plans and jeopardise the much sought-after regional and continental integration agenda.
Angolan Statesman recalled that Angola was the victim of an armed conflict for three decades from the previous experience and the country knows the plight the populations of the eastern region of the DRC experience today.
Lourenço said that it was in this spirit of solidarity and within the framework of the mandate at the helm of the African Union in May 2022, that Angola has been carrying out a series of initiatives aimed at re-launching the bases of a constructive dialogue and peace between the DRC and Rwanda.
He recalled that within the framework of the Luanda roadmap, the joint action plan for the resolution of the security crisis in the east of the DRC was adopted, under which it was agreed to quarter the M23 elements in Congolese territory and begin the repatriation of all refugees as well as the disarmament and reintegration process.
He recalled that Angola, as a mediator in the process, committed to deploying a contingent of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA), to guarantee the security of the M23 elements in the quartering centres.
“There is the need to implement the decisions agreed at the various summits, with a view to guaranteeing the credibility and confidence of the process,” Lourenço said.
To this end, the Luanda summit on June 3 this year mandated the Foreign Affairs ministers of Angola, DRC, Rwanda and Burundi to meet periodically to carry out a joint assessment of the progress made in implementing the commitments from the Luanda roadmap and the joint action plan for the pacification of the DRC.
“Within the framework of the deliberations of this summit, we will seek to prioritise efforts to coordinate the comparative advantages that each of the Regional Economic Communities can offer in this process of pacification of the Great Lakes Region,” Lourenço said.
According to the Angolan Head of State, the African Union’s coordination role and that of the United Nations is fundamental and can contribute to reaching the desired pacification of eastern DRC.
The inter-regional meeting is among the deliberations of the 11th extraordinary summit of heads of state of the ICGLR held on March 3 in Luanda under the initiative of the Angolan president, Joao Lourenço.
The Summit is attended by Presidents Ali Bongo of Gabon, Évariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi, Félix Tshisekedi of DRC, Faustin-Archange Touadéra of Central African Republic and Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe.
President of the Union of the Comoros and incumbent head of the African Union Azali Assoumani, Head of State of Zimbabwe and incumbent head of the African Union Peace and Security Council Emmerson Mnangagwa, President of Gabon, and incumbent head of the ECCAS Ali Bongo are all taking part in the quadripartite meeting.
Also present are the President of Burundi and EAC Evarist Ndayishimiye, the Head of State of the Democratic Republic of Congo and SADC acting chairperson Félix Tshisekedi, the former President of Kenya and designated EAC facilitator Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta.
Also the Vice President of Namibia Nangolo Mbumba, Foreign Minister of Rwanda Vincent Biruta, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahammat, Ambassador Parfait Onanga, representative of the UN Secretary General, as well as the Chairperson of the ECCAS Commission and the Executive Secretaries of ICGLR, SADC and CAO.
Source: Angola Press News Agency