Kinshasa, February 23th, 2023 (CPA).- The United States of America has called for the rapid implementation of the results of the East African Community (EAC) mini-summit of February 7th, the Luanda and Nairobi processes, in particular the Luanda mini-summit communiqué of 23 November 2022, according to a statement issued by its embassy in the DRC on Thursday to the CPA.
« We urge the rapid implementation of the results of the EAC mini-summit of 17 February, the Luanda and Nairobi processes, in particular the communiqué of the Luanda mini-summit of 23 November 2022. The path to peace is clear: we expect the leadership demonstrated at these sessions in Addis Ababa to translate commitments into action, » the document says.
« We reiterate our call on Rwanda to stop supporting the M23 armed group and withdraw its soldiers from the DRC to facilitate the implementation of these commitments in accordance with the timetable approved at the EAC mini-summit on 17 February, » the US embassy statement reads.
« We also reiterate our call on all parties to condemn hate speech and work urgently to prevent ethnic violence, » the source said.
However, the United States of America welcomed the 17 February communiqué of the 1140th meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) on the situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the text said.
To this end, the statement said, the US joins the PSC in expressing concern about the deteriorating humanitarian situation, condemning human rights violations committed by armed groups, in particular the M23, but also Daech-DRC, CODECO and the FDLR.
Washington demands that all armed groups cease hostilities and withdraw unconditionally from eastern DRC.
It should be noted that on the sidelines of the African Union Summit on 18 and 19 February, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee met with Presidents João Manuel Lourenço of the Republic of Angola, Félix Tshisekedi of the DRC, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, William Ruto of Kenya, and Jeje Odongo, Uganda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.
« At each meeting, Assistant Secretary Phee discussed with regional leaders our shared commitment to peace and stability in the eastern DRC, and the urgent need to revitalize peace processes. The United States will continue to support and advance African diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict in the eastern DRC, » the statement concluded.
