Ceasefire Now! African Leaders Unite to End Congo Crisis

Leaders from eastern and southern Africa called on Sunday for an immediate ceasefire in eastern Congo and pushed for direct negotiations between the Congolese government and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, after a joint summit of EAC and SADC leaders was convened in Tanzania, focusing dialogue as the means of ending the increasing conflict.

President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo attended by video link. However, the summit communique concluded that the leaders “are committed to engaging in direct talks with all parties involved,” including the M23 rebels. The chair of the EAC and Kenya’s President William Ruto said dialogue “is not a sign of weakness” but appealed to “all parties involved” to keep the peace.

The U.N. experts indicated that the rebels, assisted by Rwandan troops, have taken Goma and dislodged its population by hundreds of thousands. Meanwhile, Congolese troops supported by SADC troops keep falling back before their advance.

The summit also demanded the withdrawal of all uninvited foreign armed groups and the reopening of Goma’s airport to facilitate humanitarian aid. A separate regional meeting in Equatorial Guinea reinforced demands for Rwandan troops to leave Congo, underscoring the urgency of a peaceful resolution.