EAC Member States Agree To Deploy A Regional Force To Eastern DR Congo

The East African Community (EAC) member states have agreed to deploy a regional force to the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to help restore peace and security in the country where over 120 militant groups, including the M23, continue to operate across large swathes of eastern DRC, reported The TRT World.

The decision comes after military chiefs from member states of the East African Community (EAC) met in Goma, on Monday, June 6, to discuss the constitution of a regional force to fight local and foreign armed groups in the eastern DR Congo. The announcement was made at the end of the two-day meeting on Tuesday.

“After assessing the current security situation in eastern DRC, the chiefs of defense forces agreed on initial modalities for the urgent deployment of a regional force in DRC,” Sylvain Ekenge, the spokesperson for the governor of North Kivu, told reporters.

He added that the military chiefs stated that setting up a regional military force would help in the restoration of peace and security in the DRC.

The meeting was in line with the resolution that was adopted at a summit of heads of state of the EAC in Kenya’s capital Nairobi in April.

The EAC had urged local armed groups in the country to join a political process to address their grievances or be handled militarily. It also appealed to foreign armed groups, including Uganda’s Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), to disarm and return unconditionally and immediately to their respective countries of origin.

According to the United Nations, over 27 million people are facing food shortages and nearly 5.5 million have been displaced due to violence in DRC.

On Monday, fighting resumed between the DRC military and M23 rebels in North Kivu province after the rebels launched attacks on military positions in Rutshuru territory.

Last Sunday, at least 20 people including eight women and children were killed in an attack attributed to ADF rebels in Irumu territory in Ituri province.