* And for joint SADC and EAC ministers to meet within 30 days to deliberate on the defence forces’ report
* Urged the DRC to protect lives and property; uphold long lasting legal and moral principles of respecting peace missions
By Duncan Mlanjira
The joint extraordinary Summit of Heads of State from Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) and East African Community (EAC) held in Tanzania today, has directed that Chiefs of Defence Forces to meet within 5 days and provide technical direction on immediate and unconditional ceasefire and cessation of hostilities in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
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Held in Dar es Salaam, the emergency Summit — co-chaired by SADC’s chairperson, Zimbabwe President Emerson Mnangagwa and EAC’s William Ruto, President of Kenya — further directed the Chiefs of Defence Forces to oversee the provision of humanitarian assistance including repatriation of the deceased and evacuation of the injured. They are also to develop a securitisation plan for the intense conflict zone of Goma and its surrounding areas as well as to oversee the opening of main supply routes.
These include Goma-Sake-Bukavu; Goma-Kibimba-Runangabo-Kalengera-Rutshuru-Bunagana; Goma-Kiwanja-Rwindi-Kanyabayonga-Liberia — including navigation on Lake Kivu between Goma and Bukavu.
The defence chiefs are also to monitor the immediate reopening of Goma Airport and and to advise on other related facilitative interventions.
Other Heads of State at the Summit were the host, Samia Suluhu Hassan (President of Tanzania); Felix Tshisekedi (DRC); Paul Kagame (Rwanda); Cyril Ramaphosa (South Africa); Yoweri Museveni (Uganda); Hakainde Hichilema (Zambia) and Hassan Sheik Mohamoud (Somalia).
Representing Malawi’s Lazarus Chakwera was Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nancy Tembo); from Burundi, Lieutenant General Gervais Ndirakobucha (Prime Minister); Angola by Ambassador Tete Antonio (External Minister); South Sudan by Deng Alor Kuol (Minister of East African Community); and Madagascar by Lieutenant Lala Monja Delphin Sahivelo (Minister of Armed Forces).
Also present was chairperson of African Union (AU) Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat as a huge concerned by the AU since the armed conflict has resulted in loss of lives, created a humanitarian crisis as well as suffering of people, particularly women and children.
The Summit comes after the two regional bodies held separate extraordinary Summits, which they took cognizance of held on January 29 by EAC and January 31 by SADC — with both involved in the process of bringing lasting peace and security in the Eastern DRC.
Both extraordinary Summits separately called for this joint summit to deliberate way forward regarding the deteriorating security situation in the DRC, while condemning the attacks on diplomatic missions, embassies and staff based in Kinshasa.
They urged the DRC to protect lives and property as well as upholding long lasting legal and moral principles of respecting peace missions in DRC such as UN Stabilization Mission (MONUSCO) and others.
Both regional bodies merged the separate resolutions they made at their respective Summits, calling for cessation of hostilities and an immediate ceasefire; restoration of essential utilities and supply lines for food and other essential commodities to ensure humanitarian support; and peaceful resolution of the conflict through the Luanda/Nairobi process.
The SADC Summit on January 31
And having appreciated the critical role by Luanda and Kenya process, the SADC-EAC Summit agreed to merge the two in order to be strengthened and enhance their complementarity.
The co-chairs of the peace processes were mandated, in consultation with the African Union, to consider and appoint additional facilitators including from other regions of Africa to support the merged process.
A directive was also made for the resumption of direct negotiations and dialogue with all state and non-state parties (military and non-military) including M23 and under the framework of the merged Luanda/Nairobi Process.
At the centre of it all, Presidents Tshisekedi of DRC and Kagame of Rwanda
Meanwhile, a joint meeting of EAC and SADC Ministers has been directed to be convened within 30 days to deliberate on the report of the joint meetings of SADC-EAC Chiefs of Defence Forces on the ceasefire and cessation hostilities.
It will also review the establishment of secretariat level technical coordination mechanism to monitor implementation of the joint summit decisions; and to check on the elaborate roadmap that will detail immediate, medium and long-term implementation measures including financing modalities.
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Within the 30 days, the SADC-EAC Chiefs of Defence Forces are to have address all other residual issues relating to the attainment of sustainable peace and security in Eastern DRC and make appropriate recommendations to the next joint meeting of EAC-SADC Summit.
They are also to oversee the modalities for withdrawal of any uninvited foreign armed forces from the territory of the DRC be developed and implemented.
The SADC-EAC Heads of State reaffirmed their “solidarity and unwavering commitment to continue supporting the DRC in its pursuit of safeguarding its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as sustainable peace security and development”.
Similar consultations were agreed that they “shall be convened at least once every year and as, and when, the need arises to review matters of common interest to the two regions”.
Weather update