East and South African leaders urge immediate ceasefire after summit

East and South African leaders are calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire to end the deadly fighting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

At the Tanzania Crisis Summit, South African Development Communities and East African Communities (EAC) Blocks urged all fighting parties to hold peace talks within five days, including the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels.

The rebels – the battle against government forces – seized Dr. Congo’s vast land, including Goma city. Their push towards Bukab raised fears of wider regional wars.

As part of their speech, the Army Chiefs are also told to develop security plans for Goma and its surrounding areas.

Latest UN figures suggest that 2,900 people have been killed since early January as a result of hostility between the M23 and the army of Dr. Congo.

Approximately 700,000 people have been evacuated and thousands have been injured.

Saturday’s gathering in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s largest city, brought together heads of state and government representatives to try to resolve the safety and humanitarian situation.

“The summit emphasizes that political and diplomatic engagement is the most sustainable solution to conflict,” the follow-up communique said.

It also called for the reopening of Goma Airport and other important routes and the withdrawal of uninvited foreign troops from Congolese territory to promote humanitarian aid.

M23, made up of ethnic Tutsi people, says Dr. Congo’s government says that Rwanda-backed rebels are seeking control of the vast mineral wealth of the eastern region, while they are in a minority. They say they are fighting for the rights of

Paul Kagame of Rwandan, who was at the summit, has repeatedly denied his involvement in supporting rebels.

However, as reported last month by BBC’s Ian Wahura, a group of UN experts claim that the Rwandan army is in “the de facto control of Operation M23.”

Following the summit, Kagame posted on Facebook, accusing Dr. Congo of “stimulating security issues for our country.”

Dr. Congo’s President Felix Tsushisekedi has chosen to appear at the summit via video link. Prime Minister Judith Soominwa was there directly.

There was no immediate response to the joint communicae from Suminwa or the Congolese delegation.

Kenya’s President William Root, current EAC chair, stressed that military solutions alone cannot solve the crisis.

“We must resist the temptation to think that in the face of such complicated circumstances, we can somehow shoot or bomb our path,” he says. Ta.

Tanzania President Samia Sloof Hassan highlights the “collective responsibility” of regional leaders and ends the conflict, saying, “History sees things get worse every day if we stay still.” “He said.

The ongoing conflict dates back to the 1990s, but has escalated rapidly in recent weeks.

Dr. Congo is very vast and two-thirds of the size of Western Europe, he is a member of both the Eastern and South African blocs.