The European Union (EU) has called upon rebel groups that occupy territories in the Eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo to lay down their arms and withdraw from the areas they occupy and renounce violence.
The EU has been helping the FARDC as well the United Nations peacekeepers deployed in the country. The EU High Representative said that the regional security and cooperation is very vital in fostering sustainable peace in DRC. This comes as the EAC has announced that they would deploy a Kenyan-led regional force to deal with the rebels and terrorists in North Kivu and Ituri provinces.
The call by the EU comes amid tensions between DRC and Rwanda with the former accusing the latter of supporting and funding the M23 rebels as well as sabotaging the peace process in the nation with the indirect and overall aim of taking advantage of the resources abundantly found in DRC.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame and DR Congo’s Félix Tshisekedi are scheduled to meet on Wednesday over the conflict in eastern DRC. Angolan President Joao Lourenço, who is also the chairman of the International Conference for the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), will hold talks with the two leaders with the aim of brokering peace between the two.
