People from different African countries met in Tanzania last week. They want to help stop the fighting in a place called Congo. They asked Congo's leaders to talk with a group called M23 and other groups who are fighting. They believe talking can help bring peace.
Many people tried to make peace in Congo before. The first big try happened more than twenty years ago, in 1999. Seven countries signed a paper saying they would stop fighting. They brought in special peace workers from the United Nations to help. These peace workers spent lots of money, but they could not fix the problems.
In 2002, Congo and another country called Rwanda made a promise. Rwanda said they would take their soldiers out of Congo. Congo said they would stop bad people from using their land to attack Rwanda. But this promise did not work. The bad people stayed and joined Congo's army instead.
More promises followed. In 2008, Congo's leaders met with twenty-two fighting groups in a city called Goma. They all agreed to stop fighting, but the peace did not last. The next year, Congo made another promise with a group called CNDP. They said CNDP fighters could join Congo's army, but Congo did not keep this promise.
In 2013, eleven African countries tried to help. They all signed a paper saying they would work together to make Congo peaceful. Later that year, Congo's leaders promised to help people who ran away from the fighting come back home. They also said they would be nice to the M23 fighters if they stopped fighting. But Congo did not do these things either.
Last year, some other African countries sent soldiers to help keep peace in Congo. But Congo's president did not like what these soldiers were doing. He asked them to leave and brought in different soldiers instead. These new soldiers are fighting against M23, but they have not won.
The meeting in Tanzania last week shows people still want peace in Congo. But many wonder if Congo's leaders will keep their new promises this time.
Many people tried to make peace in Congo before. The first big try happened more than twenty years ago, in 1999. Seven countries signed a paper saying they would stop fighting. They brought in special peace workers from the United Nations to help. These peace workers spent lots of money, but they could not fix the problems.
In 2002, Congo and another country called Rwanda made a promise. Rwanda said they would take their soldiers out of Congo. Congo said they would stop bad people from using their land to attack Rwanda. But this promise did not work. The bad people stayed and joined Congo's army instead.
More promises followed. In 2008, Congo's leaders met with twenty-two fighting groups in a city called Goma. They all agreed to stop fighting, but the peace did not last. The next year, Congo made another promise with a group called CNDP. They said CNDP fighters could join Congo's army, but Congo did not keep this promise.
In 2013, eleven African countries tried to help. They all signed a paper saying they would work together to make Congo peaceful. Later that year, Congo's leaders promised to help people who ran away from the fighting come back home. They also said they would be nice to the M23 fighters if they stopped fighting. But Congo did not do these things either.
Last year, some other African countries sent soldiers to help keep peace in Congo. But Congo's president did not like what these soldiers were doing. He asked them to leave and brought in different soldiers instead. These new soldiers are fighting against M23, but they have not won.
The meeting in Tanzania last week shows people still want peace in Congo. But many wonder if Congo's leaders will keep their new promises this time.
