EAC leaders call for ceasefire in eastern DR Congo

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DAR ES SALAAM — Leaders of the East African Community (EAC) on Saturday called for an immediate ceasefire in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) while reaffirming their commitment to deepening regional integration to improve the livelihoods of citizens across the bloc.

The call was made during the 25th Ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State, held in Arusha, Tanzania.

A communique issued late Saturday at the end of the summit said the leaders reviewed progress on the EAC-led Nairobi Peace Process aimed at restoring peace and stability in eastern DRC.

The summit welcomed the progress made so far and commended Kenyan President William Ruto for steering the implementation of regional decisions regarding the security situation in eastern DRC and coordinating the peace process, the communique said.

However, the leaders expressed concern over continued hostilities in the conflict-affected region and urged all parties involved to immediately cease fighting, according to the communique. "The summit called on all parties to the conflict to cease hostilities and observe an immediate ceasefire while recommitting to the peaceful resolution of their differences."

The communique said the heads of state also appealed to the African Union to provide adequate financial and logistical support to the AU-led mediation efforts to ensure the peace process proceeds effectively and reaches a sustainable conclusion.

In addition, the leaders acknowledged ongoing diplomatic efforts under the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, led by Ugandan President Museveni, and agreed that regional initiatives should be harmonised to strengthen peacebuilding efforts in eastern DRC, it said.

According to the communique, beyond security issues, the summit reaffirmed the bloc's commitment to accelerating regional integration in areas such as trade, infrastructure development and the movement of people and goods.