East African Leaders Demand Ceasefire Between Congo, Rwanda
Written by Adewale Adeyemi on February 5, 2023
Regional heads of state have called for an immediate ceasefire by all parties in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Tensions there have grown amid talk of war as Congo and neighbouring Rwanda trade allegations of backing armed rebels. The ceasefire call was issued in a communique at the end of the East African Community (EAC) summit in Burundi.
Secretary General of the East African Leaders, Peter Mathuki, said, there must be immediate ceasefire by all political parties, adding that the withdrawal includes all foreign armed groups.
He further directed the chief of defence forces of all the partner’s states of the East African Community to meet urgently within the next one week and set new timelines for the withdrawal.
The calls follow international concern the two countries could slide into all-out conflict, as they did in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
