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Message: [QUOTE="Nehanda, post: 26676, member: 2262"] Officials have rescheduled Friday's high-level meeting between ministers from the Southern African Development Community and East African Community. The postponement affects discussions aimed at establishing lasting peace in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The new date remains under consideration as representatives from both regional organizations continue their consultations. The ministerial gathering serves as a crucial step toward arranging a future summit of regional heads of state. This upcoming leadership conference intends to develop a comprehensive peace framework encouraging sustainable dialogue among conflicting parties. Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Ambassador Albert Chimbindi confirmed that officials are currently working to determine when the meeting will occur. "Consultations are underway and the ministers have to agree on a date mutually," Chimbindi stated during an interview yesterday. He indicated an announcement regarding the rescheduled meeting would follow shortly. The postponed talks were originally planned for February 28, following separate defense leadership meetings held in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam on February 21. These diplomatic efforts stem from directives established during the joint regional heads of state summit on February 8, 2025, in Tanzania. Both organizations recently appointed three former African leaders as conflict mediators: former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, and former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe. The United Nations Security Council has expressed support for these regional peace initiatives. UN representatives strongly condemned ongoing offensive operations by M23 rebels throughout eastern Congo territories. The international body urged Rwandan military forces to cease supporting armed groups and withdraw immediately from Congolese territory without establishing preconditions. Recent reports from DRC Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba indicate severe humanitarian consequences from the conflict. According to official statements released Thursday, more than 8,500 people have died in Goma and surrounding areas since January. These casualties resulted from intensified combat between government forces and M23 rebel fighters across eastern regions of the country. [/QUOTE]

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