Rwanda : Regional leaders meet again over Congo conflict
President Kagame (extreme back) attends the summit
Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame on Monday participated in the fourth Summit of Heads of State of the ICGLR on the crisis in Eastern DRC chaired by Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni.
Also participating in the ICGLR summit was DRC President Joseph Kabila, President Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi and President Salva Kir of South Sudan.
At today’s summit, leaders discussed implementation of the regionally driven mechanisms which in three months since the first summit held in Addis Ababa have seen notable advances, including the cessation of hostilities in Eastern DRC, according from the Office of the President.
The expanded Joint Verification Mechanism and the Military Assessment team launched in Goma in September is operational with all members now on the ground fulfilling their commitment to bringing peace to Eastern DRC.
Opening the discussions, ICGLR Executive Secretary, Prof Ntumba Luaba said:
“I strongly encourage continued and sustained high level dialogue at the bilateral and regional level … I welcome the recent progress in strengthening confidence building measures, notably the Joint Verification Mechanism.”
President Museveni, chair of the summit, was tasked with continuing dialogue with belligerents as well as ensuring support from all member state for the implementation of a neutral force. The Summit concluded with acknowledgment of steady progress, cooperation of members and a renewed commitment to pursuit of sustainable peace based on regional ownership of solutions to problems affecting the Great Lakes Region.
President Kagame will tomorrow attend official 50th Independence Day ceremonies taking place in Kampala.
President Kagame arrives at the Entebbe International airport, ahead of the ICGLR summit
