KENYA PRESIDENT ANNOUNCES SUMMIT OF EAST AFRICAN COUNTRIES- Ruto urged the President of Rwanda and Congo to heed the “call of peace”
Kenya’s President, William Ruto has announced the convening of an extraordinary East African Community Summit to address the conflict in Eastern Congo.
Ruto who said he had spoken to the Presidents of Rwanda and Congo, has urged them to heed the call of peace for the sake of their region and the international community.”
Ruto said that leaders of the East Africa Community (EAC) bloc had agreed to hold an extraordinary summit to address the current conflict in Eastern Congo.
The M23 rebel movement, reportedly backed by Rwanda, has advanced swiftly this month in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s mineral-rich but conflict-riven eastern borderlands, raising fears that the fighting could spill over into a regional war. Rwanda denies accusations by the U.N. and others that it backs M23.
EAC leaders have faced significant challenges in addressing the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Despite multiple summits and peace initiatives, such as the Luanda process, their efforts have often been criticized for lacking effectiveness and failing to produce a lasting solution
The M23 rebels reportedly control more Congolese territory than ever before and have vowed to seize Goma, the capital of North Kivu province and home to about 1 million people.
