Africa-Press – Kenya. Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has issued updates on the planning workshop for the 4th inter-Congolese consultations.
The workshop was held in Naivasha between March 14 and 17, led by Uhuru in collaboration with the EAC Secretariat and other partners in the Nairobi Process.
The meeting was in accordance with directives of the EAC Summit of Heads of State meeting which was held on February 4 in Bujumbura, Burundi and the AU Peace and Security Council held on February 17 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, which called for the re-energization of the political process.
The discussions were focused on the stock of the political developments in Eastern DRC since the conclusion of the Nairobi III intra-Congolese consultations, and the facilitation of the planning for the 4th Intra-Congolese consultations.
This is according to a statement released on Monday by Uhuru, who is the Facilitator of the EAC- led Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) peace process.
Further, the leaders talked about the proposed organizational structure for Nairobi IV Consultations, the proposed Program and the proposed Consultations logistics and budget.
“The workshop completed the planning for the next stage of the political process, specifically planning for the Nairobi IV multi-venue conference, which is intended to take place in the Eastern DRC but anchored in Kinshasa through a national consultation which will initiate the multiple town conferencing processes,” the statement added.
It was attended by participants from the government of Kenya and DRC, the EAC Secretariat, Technical Advisors to the Facilitator, Office of the UN Special Envoy to the Great Lakes Region, MONUSCO and Observers from Switzerland, UK Foreign Office London, USA, Belgium and Burundi.
Uhuru revealed that there is a possibility of integrating armed groups into the political track of the Nairobi Peace Process in the future.
This comes as he acknowledged that the operation in the Eastern region has remained on course as envisaged by the East African Community Regional Force Mandate.
He said there has been a ceasefire between the FARDC, M23 and other active armed groups for the last three weeks.
“The Facilitator will continue to reach out to all parties, both political as well as armed groups, in his continued efforts to help bring peace to the east of the DRC,” the statement reads in part.
So far, the M23 armed group has withdrawn from Sake-Mshaki-Neenero and Kilolirwe in North Kivu on the Western Front.
On Tuesday, Kitchanga is expected to be vacated as verified by Ad hoc Mechanism, (Angola-led) EV (IGLR) and EAC Monitoring and Verification Mechanisms.
Also to be secured is the main supply route of Bunagana- Rutshuru-Kibumba-Goma.
This is to allow free delivery of humanitarian assistance and the movement of goods and people.
Uhuru noted that the EACRF has fully deployed with the last phase being South Sudan People’s Defence Force, which was deployed over the past week.
This is as per the Nairobi Process agreements.
The EACRF is also currently deployed as Kenyan Contingent in Kibati-Kibumba and Rumaghabo.
The Burundi Contingent is at Sake-Mshaki-Karuba and Kilolirwe and is projected to deploy to Kitchanga.
Uganda Contingent is deployed at Bunagana and is projected to deploy in Kiwanja by April 15.
“All these developments on the political and military track signal, the continued commitment of East African Heads of State to the Nairobi process, as well as the continued engagement of the Facilitator, former President Kenyatta in providing leadership towards the conclusion of the peace process for the eastern DRC,” the statement added.
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