Africa-Press – Rwanda. President Paul Kagame on Saturday, February 4, arrived in Bujumbura, Burundi, to join other Heads of State of the East African Community who travelled there to meet and evaluate the security situation in eastern DR Congo, where the bloc deployed a force in November 2022 to help calm the storm.
President Evariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi, who is also the Chairperson of the EAC Summit, hosted the 20th extra-ordinary Summit of Heads of State at a time when the volatile security situation in North Kivu province, where Congolese government forces are battling the M23 rebels, is deteriorating.
The regional Summit in Bujumbura follows an urgent meeting between EAC technical advisors and Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya’s former president who is now facilitator of the EAC-led peace process for eastern DR Congo.
The Congolese government has been in the spotlight recently, due to, among others, its unilateral decision to deport three Rwandan military officers who were serving the regional force. On February 1, EAC Secretary General Peter Mathuki wrote to Congolese Prime Minister Christophe Lutundula, seeking clarification on the deportation of officers, who enjoyed immunity.
Here below, we bring you highlights, in pictures, of how the EAC leaders arrived – in no particular order – and were received in Bujumbura, on Saturday morning. Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi was the last to arrive, at noon. South Sudan President Salvar Kiir – who was hosting Pope Francis – did not make it to the meeting. President Kiir was represented by Deng Kuol, South Sudan’s Minister for EAC Affairs. Peter Mathuki, the EAC Secretary General, also attended the Summit.
At the start of the meeting, President Ndayishimiye stressed that “the main purpose of the meeting is to evaluate the current situation” in eastern DR Congo with view of coming up with decisions that will ameliorate the security situation and facilitate the restoration of peace and security in eastern DR Congo.
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