Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Burundi Times
Published on 2024-03-10 14:03:19
A virtual meeting was convened on 4th March 2024 by the African Union Peace and Security Council to address the ongoing situation in Eastern DRC and the deployment of the SADC Mission in the DRC. This move prompted a response from Rwanda, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs urging the African Union not to provide funding for the SADC Mission in DRC (SAMIDRC).
In a letter issued by Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it was emphasized that SAMIDRC, operating as an offensive force in conjunction with FARDC and Burundi Forces, should not serve as a substitute for a political process that has been obstructed by the Government of DRC. The plea was for the African Union to refrain from authorizing or financing SAMIDRC.
The African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) issued a statement expressing profound concern over the re-emergence of the March 23 Movement (M23) in Eastern DRC. The AUPSC strongly denounced the human rights violations committed by various armed groups in the region, including the M23, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), the Forces Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda (FDLR), and others.
Following the meeting, the AUPSC endorsed the deployment of SAMIDRC in Eastern DRC and urged the AU Commission to secure the necessary support for SAMIDRC, including from the AU Peace Fund Crisis Reserve Facility. Additionally, the AU Peace and Security Council urged the AU Commission to expedite the transfer of equipment donated to SADC, which is currently stationed at the AU Continental Logistics Base in Douala, Cameroon, to aid in the effective implementation of SAMIDRC’s mandate.
The deployment of the SADC forces came about after Kinshasa opted not to renew the mandate of the East African Forces, whose one-year mandate expired in December 2023. President Felix Tshisekedi’s administration criticized the regional forces for failing to fulfill their mandate of combating the M23 rebels.
Subsequent to the withdrawal of the regional forces from Eastern DRC, there was a spike in violence as the M23 rebels intensified their clashes with government forces. The DRC government has accused Rwanda of backing the M23 rebel group, which has resulted in the displacement of thousands of Congolese citizens and the loss of hundreds of lives, an accusation that Rwanda has refuted.
Read the original article on Burundi Times
