DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania – Defence Chiefs from East Africa Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have met in Dar es Salaam to discuss the ongoing conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The meeting followed an earlier session of EAC military chiefs held in Nairobi last week, highlighting sustained regional efforts to stabilize the mineral-rich get volatile region.
At the Dar es Salaam meeting, there was Gen. Charles Kahiriri of Kenya, Gen. John Mkunda of Tanzania, Gen. Rudzani Maphwanya of South Africa, Gen. Mubarakh Muganga of Rwanda, and chiefs in attendance included representatives from Zimbabwe, Zambia, the DRC, South Sudan, Malawi, and other EAC and SADC member states.
Uganda’s Chief of Defense Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, was represented by Maj. Gen. James Birungi, the Chief of Defense Intelligence and Security.
– How the EAC, SADC military Chiefs meeting ended –
The summit concluded with the signing of a joint proposal, which will now be presented to the EAC and SADC councils of ministers for further deliberation.
The ministers are expected to refine the proposal before submitting it to the heads of state for final approval and implementation.
The Chiefs of Defence Forces (CDFs) from East African Community (EAC) Member States gathered today in Nairobi to discuss the ongoing security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Read more at shorturl.at/PsGvR
The meeting reflects a coordinated regional approach to addressing the crisis, with a focus on military and political strategies to restore stability in the eastern DRC.
What’s the background of these security meetings
The Nairobi and Dar es Salaam meetings were held in response to a directive issued by the joint EAC-SADC Heads of State Summit earlier this month in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The defense chiefs focused on critical directives, including an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, the provision of humanitarian assistance to affected populations, and the opening of main supply routes to facilitate aid delivery.
Other directives were the development of a comprehensive securitisation plan for Goma and surrounding areas, the immediate reopening of Goma Airport, and recommendations for other facilitative interventions to stabilize the region.
Already, regional leaders have agreed to merge the Nairobi and Luanda peace processes in a renewed bid to resolve the ongoing crisis in DRC.
The decision, made at the joint EAC and SADC, aims to consolidate efforts and strengthen diplomatic engagement in the conflict-ridden region.
At the Dar es Salaam meeting, Uganda’s Chief of Defense Forces, Gen. @mkainerugaba , was represented by Maj. Gen. James Birungi, the Chief of Defense Intelligence and Security. They discussed the ongoing conflict in DRC highlighting the sustained regional efforts to resolve it.
The summit resolved to reinforce the two processes separately before integrating them to “enhance complementarity” while emphasizing that direct negotiations between Kinshasa, M23 rebels, and other non-state actors must resume within the merged framework.
What Present William Ruto thinks should be done
President William Ruto, the EAC chairperson, underscored the need for a diplomatic rather than a military solution, calling for a “comprehensive approach” that tackles the root causes of the conflict while safeguarding the DRC’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
“We must resist the temptation to think we can somehow shoot and bombard our way into a solution to such a complex situation,” Ruto said in his opening remarks. “Instead, we have to agree that only a comprehensive, diplomatic approach will lead to lasting peace.”
The eastern DRC has long been plagued by conflict, involving armed groups and ethnic tensions.
In recent weeks, the M23 rebels have escalated the crisis by seizing control of key cities, including Goma and Bukavu, with fierce intensifying the need for regional intervention.
