The Luanda summit on the security crisis in eastern DR Congo has ordered the FDLR, a terrorist group composed of remnants responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, to disarm immediately and embark on an “unconditional repatriation”.
The summit took place in the Angolan capital Luanda on Wednesday, November 23.
It was attended by heads of State including Presidents João Lourenço, the host, Felix Tshisekedi of DR Congo, Evariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi, Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vincent Biruta, who represented President Paul Kagame, and former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is the facilitator of the East African Community-led peace process.
A communique released after the leaders’ consultation says they expressed their concern about “the persistence of negative and terrorist forces in the eastern DRC, which constitutes a threat to peace, security, and stability in the sub-region.”
They decided that all local and foreign armed groups should put down weapons. In particular, three foreign armed groups, FDLR from Rwanda, RED-Tabara from Burundi, and the ADF from Uganda, were mentioned.
The summit resolved that the M23 rebels who are fighting the Congolese army in North Kivu province shall withdraw from the occupied territories.
The statement says the summit decided the “cessation of hostilities in general, and in particular of attacks against the FARDC and MONUSCO from Friday, 25th of November 2022 at 18hoo”.
If the M23 refuses to withdraw, the leaders said they shall authorize the use of force to compel the group to comply."
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