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African Union endorses EAC force deployment to DR Congo

Tuesday April 26 2022
African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat.

African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat. PHOTO | FILE

By VALERIE KOGA

The African Union has endorsed the decision by East African Community leaders to deploy a regional force to restore peace and stability in eastern DR Congo.

In a statement on Tuesday, AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat commended the leaders for "their common efforts in finding a sustainable solution to the situation in eastern DRC and the Great Lakes region as a whole."

Read: East African leaders read riot act to DRC armed groups

Also read: Why Nairobi meeting between Tshisekedi and armed groups flopped

Last week in a meeting in Nairobi, EAC leaders urged rebel groups in DRC to lay down their arms and they invited them for talks in Kenya.

The leaders agreed that should the armed groups not heed to the call for dialogue, they would deploy a regional force against to maintain peace and stability in eastern DRC.

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Read: Meeting on DRC flops after rebels fail to show up at Nairobi venue

The meeting between DR Congo President and the armed groups initially failed to take off due to “logistical challenges”, according to officials.

Later, on Friday and at the weekend, a few of the armed groups met for talks.

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