WINDHOEK, Nov. 1 — Namibian President Hage Geingob, as the chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, on Tuesday, called for peace and an end to hostilities in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In a statement, Geingob appealed for a calm and immediate ceasefire and for armed groups, including the March 23 Movement (M23) and the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), to disarm.
“Consistent with the mandate of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Force Intervention Brigade (FIB) within the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, SADC commits to continuing to play a supportive and constructive role in order to strengthen the conditions of peace in the Eastern DRC,” he said.
He added that “Following the meeting of the SADC Organ Troika in Maseru, Lesotho on 28 October 2022, the leaders of the Organ pledged to further work with the authorities in Kinshasa, the United Nations, and MONUSCO to ensure the effectiveness of the Force Intervention Brigade.”
He said he spoke on phone to DRC President Felix Antoine Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame about the worsening political and military situation in eastern DRC.
In consultation with other Troika members, outgoing chairman of the organ South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa, and incoming chairperson Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, Geingob said he reaffirms SADC’s support for the mediation led by the chairman of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), President Joao Lourenco of the Republic of Angola.
Geingob said he is pleased with the commitment of presidents Kagame and Tshisekedi to the Luanda and Nairobi processes to give peace a chance by finding lasting solutions to the security challenges in the eastern DRC. (Xinhua)
President Hage Geingob calls for peace in eastern DRC
