Regional leaders renew calls for ceasefire in eastern DRC

EAST African regional leaders on Saturday renewed their call for an immediate ceasefire by all sides in the ongoing conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that pits the country’s the military against a rebel group which it has accused neighbouring Rwanda of supporting.

At a summit in Burundi's capital Bujumbura, the leaders of the regional East African Community (EAC) bloc called for an “immediate ceasefire by all parties”, according to a communique issued at the end of the meeting.

The M23 rebel group has seized large areas of eastern Congo’s North Kivu province in a rapid onslaught since October 20 that has threatened the provincial capital, Goma.

The conflict has inflamed regional tensions with Congo accusing neighbour Rwanda of backing and sponsoring the Tutsi-led rebellion.

UN experts and Western powers have also accused Rwanda of backing the M23, although Rwanda has denied any involvement.

Saturday’s meeting was the latest diplomatic effort to try to end the insurgency, which has displaced at least 520000 people since March last year in North Kivu, a territory long plagued by conflict.

Earlier this week, Pope Francis visitedthe DRC and called for an end to violence.

Regional leaders had brokered an agreement in November under which the rebels were meant to cease fire and withdraw from recently seized positions by January 15, but that did not happen.

A UN internal report said the rebels were flouting the ceasefire and withdrawal terms.

Saturday’s summit was attended by the heads of state of Rwanda, Congo, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Burundi and senior officials from the region.

They also demanded the withdrawal of all foreign and armed groups from Congo and asked that regional military chiefs to meet within one week and set a timeframe for the withdrawal.

“The summit reiterated its call to all parties to de-escalate tensions,” the communique read.

On January 27, M23 rebels took control of the town of Kitshanga in Masisi territory and control of a new road, further isolating the provincial capital Goma.