On Sunday 9 February, the Chief Spokeswoman of the European External Action Service, Anitta Hipper, welcomed the holding of the summit between the Community of East African States (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Meeting on Saturday in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, African leaders, including Rwandan President Paul Kagame and, by videoconference, his Congolese counterpart Félix Tshisekedi, called for an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire” in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
“Cessation of hostilities, provision of humanitarian assistance, respect for IHL, securitization of Goma, peaceful resolution of the conflict through the Luanda-Nairobi process and respect of territorial integrity are paramount”, commented Ms Hipper on X, following the decisions taken.
The African leaders ordered the military chiefs of the EAC and SADC countries to meet within five days to implement these decisions.
They also demanded that arrangements be put in place for the withdrawal of “uninvited” foreign forces from the DRC and the neutralisation of the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda, which are hostile to Paul Kagame’s regime.
EU-Rwanda. Ahead of the summit, the Rwandan President said he had had a “fruitful conversation” with the President of the European Council, António Costa, agreeing on the need for “effective de-escalation” in the DRC.
“We also exchanged on the ongoing strong cooperation between the European Union and Rwanda across key sectors”, said Mr Kagame on X on Wednesday, even though this partnership is the subject of criticism (see EUROPE 13573/1). (Original version in French by Bernard Denuit)