Keji Janefer
Africa-Press – South-Sudan. South Sudan’s commitment to the deployment of forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is mired in confusion and a lack of communication as the East Africa neighbours put their feet forward.
In July 2022, Juba promised to deploy a battalion of hundreds of troops to the war-torn eastern parts of the DRC to join a contingent of peacekeepers from the other East African member states. However, a period of lull has signalled that the youngest country may take longer to fulfil the promise it made, despite
The City Review yesterday sought to find out the progress of the preparation for the peace mission, but the minister of defence and veteran affairs, Angelina Teny, was quite reserved about the subject, saying she had not received a report from a committee formed to oversee the process.
South Sudan was given a battalion of 750 forces to swiftly deploy a joint regional force in eastern DRC in accordance with an agreement made at the 22nd East African Community Heads of States meeting held in Arusha, Tanzania, in July 2022. The resolutions conformed with Article 4 of the EAC Protocol on Peace and Security.
The East African leaders decided to send a regional force to put an end to the conflict in June. DRC troops have been fighting a rebel outfit called M23, which has its base on the eastern side.
The former Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta, made the announcement after the seven-member East African Community met in Nairobi to discuss how to put an end to the tense situation in the DRC because of concern that it would extend to the neighbouring states.
At a meeting hosted by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta in Nairobi, leaders from Burundi, South Sudan, Uganda, both Presidents of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, Rwanda’s Paul Kagame, Tanzania’s ambassador, and military chiefs from the EAC’s seven member states.
Kinshasa had rejected the deployment of Rwandan troops, claiming that the Kigali regime is a supporter of the rebels and has supplied them with weapons.Kenya, Uganda, and Burundi have committed to sending troops to the DRC.
In accordance with the decision of the EAC heads of States to designate a special fund for the implementation of the process, South Sudan government approved nearly $7 million after Angelina presented the budget to the cabinet for approval in August 2022.
“The amount which she requested was $6,689,500 to cover for these forces so that they can perform their functions and duties.”
According to Michael Makuei, the information minister, the country has already begun training the troops that will be sent to the DRC.
“You know very well in the last East African Community Conference; it was decided that members of the block should deploy forces in Congo. We were given a battalion, and our battalion is 750. These 750 are now undergoing training.”
Kenya has handed over the National flag to the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) contingent that will be deployed in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 2022. M23 rebels have been fighting government troops and have taken the border town of Bunagana on the DRC-Kenya border.
With the exception of representatives from South Sudan and Uganda, EAC leaders from Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo agreed to resolve the conflict in the DRC through dialogue in a sideline meeting during the United Nations Framework on Climate Change in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt.
According to the communiqué they released, the heads of state decided to select a technical advisor from each partner state to assist the EAC peace process facilitator.
On Tuesday of this week, the government troops of the DRC reportedly conducted airstrikes on M23 strongholds in the country’s east, causing some citizens of rebel-held territory to flee across the border.
The M23 rebels have recently expanded the region they control in the North Kivu province by seizing areas under government authority.
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