East African Community and Southern African Development Community leaders met Saturday in Dar es Salaam, where they ordered their military chiefs to convene within five days to address pressing security concerns in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The joint summit directed the Chiefs of Defence Forces to establish plans for an immediate ceasefire and outline humanitarian assistance measures, including protocols for repatriating the deceased and evacuating injured persons. The military leaders must also develop security strategies for Goma and its surrounding regions.
Reopening critical supply routes, particularly the Goma-Sake-Bukavu corridor and transportation links between Goma and other strategic locations, remains a key focus. The leaders emphasized the importance of resuming navigation on Lake Kivu between Goma and Bukavu and restoring operations at Goma Airport.
The heads of state agreed to reconvene their ministers within 30 days to evaluate the military chiefs' recommendations. They established an annual meeting schedule to monitor peace initiatives in the conflict-affected eastern DRC, with additional consultations planned as circumstances require.
Both regional blocs reinforced their dedication to diplomatic dialogue as the primary path toward resolving the long-standing political instability in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The summit marked a significant step in coordinating regional efforts to bring lasting peace to the area.
The leaders' commitment reflects growing regional cooperation in addressing complex security challenges. Their unified approach signals enhanced diplomatic engagement between the two influential African economic communities in pursuit of regional stability.
The joint summit directed the Chiefs of Defence Forces to establish plans for an immediate ceasefire and outline humanitarian assistance measures, including protocols for repatriating the deceased and evacuating injured persons. The military leaders must also develop security strategies for Goma and its surrounding regions.
Reopening critical supply routes, particularly the Goma-Sake-Bukavu corridor and transportation links between Goma and other strategic locations, remains a key focus. The leaders emphasized the importance of resuming navigation on Lake Kivu between Goma and Bukavu and restoring operations at Goma Airport.
The heads of state agreed to reconvene their ministers within 30 days to evaluate the military chiefs' recommendations. They established an annual meeting schedule to monitor peace initiatives in the conflict-affected eastern DRC, with additional consultations planned as circumstances require.
Both regional blocs reinforced their dedication to diplomatic dialogue as the primary path toward resolving the long-standing political instability in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The summit marked a significant step in coordinating regional efforts to bring lasting peace to the area.
The leaders' commitment reflects growing regional cooperation in addressing complex security challenges. Their unified approach signals enhanced diplomatic engagement between the two influential African economic communities in pursuit of regional stability.
