NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct, 31 – Kenya’s African Union (AU) peace envoy ex-president Uhuru Kenyatta Sunday condemned the escalation of conflict in parts of Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Kenyatta called on the parties involved to “agree to a cessation of hostilities” and engage in peace talks.
Kenyatta who is also the East African Community (EAC) facilitator of the inter -Congolese Consultations and Dialogue on peace restoration, further emphasized that there is no military solution to the conflict but that of embracing peaceful talks.
“The EAC calls on the parties to the current skirmishes to immediately halt their offensives, agree to a cessation of hostilities, allow for unhindered and sustained humanitarian access, withdraw and vacate from occupied areas and pursue a negotiated settlement through peace talks,” he said in a statement.
He also censured conflicts in part of South Kivu urging armed groups to voluntarily lay down their arms and participate in the National Disarmament and Demobilization Programme.
On Monday, Rwanda’s president Paul Kagame said he had good discussion with the UNSG on the conflict in East DRC.
“The ways and means to de-escalate…& address the issues to a peaceful end are with us building on the Nairobi, Luanda & other international efforts! We just have to commit ourselves to applying them!”
The conflict in the region known to be mineral-rich, has been the battleground for more than a hundred armed groups fighting for control of territory there or using it as a base to launch attacks into some of its immediate neighbors – Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Rwanda and Uganda.
According to a recent count by the United Nations (UN),at least 122 rebel groups have been fighting for more than 25 years.
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