Leaders from east and southern Africa have called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire to end the deadly fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
At a crisis summit in Tanzania, the Southern African Development Community and East African Community (EAC) blocs urged all warring parties to hold peace talks within five days, including with the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels.
The rebels – fighting government forces – have seized vast swathes of land in the eastern DR Congo, including the city of Goma. Their push towards Bukavu has raised fears of a wider regional war.
As part of their talks, army chiefs have also been told to draw up a security plan for Goma and surrounding areas.
The latest UN figures suggest 2,900 people have been killed since early January, as a result of the hostilities between M23 and armed forces of the DR Congo.
Around 700,000 are estimated to have been displaced and thousands more injured.
Saturday’s gathering in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s biggest city, brought together heads of state and government representatives to try to resolve the worsening security and humanitarian situation.
“The summit emphasises that political and diplomatic engagement is the most sustainable solution to the conflict,” said the follow-up communique.
It also demanded the reopening of Goma airport and other key routes to facilitate humanitarian aid, as well as the withdrawal of uninvited foreign armed forces from Congolese territory. (BBC News)
