EAC & SADC Leaders Huddle at Dar es Salam to Iron out Conflicts in Great Lake Region

(3 Minutes Read)

Ministers and heads of state from SADC’s 16 nations and the EAC’s 8 members aim to revive stalled peace efforts from the Luanda and Nairobi processes. Tanzania and the DRC, the only countries in both blocs, play a crucial role in mediation.

Leaders from the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have gathered in Dar es Salaam to tackle the ongoing conflict in the Great Lakes region, particularly in eastern DRC.

Ministers and heads of state from SADC’s 16 nations and the EAC’s 8 members aim to revive stalled peace efforts from the Luanda and Nairobi processes. Tanzania and the DRC, the only countries in both blocs, play a crucial role in mediation.

A key focus is restoring dialogue between DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwanda’s Paul Kagame, a vital requirement for resolving tensions. However, the M23 rebel group, which recently seized Goma and is advancing toward Bukavu, is absent from the talks.

Read Also:

http://trendsnafrica.com/mixed-reactions-to-m23-ceasefire-in-goma/

SADC Chairperson President Emmerson Mnangagwa has stressed that engaging M23 is crucial for progress. The UN reports that fighting around Goma, allegedly backed by Rwanda, has caused 3,000 deaths and displaced over a million people. Rwanda denies any involvement. Rwanda repeatedly denies their involvement in the conflict.