African leaders meet today in Tanzania to discuss peace in Congo. Zimbabwe's President Mnangagwa and Kenya's President Ruto will lead the talks.
The meeting brings together nations from southern and eastern Africa. They aim to end fighting in eastern Congo, an area rich in natural resources.
Ministers from both areas met earlier. They talked about the growing dangers in eastern Congo. Rebels have taken control of some towns there. The fighting has left 2,000 people dead. Many more had to run from their homes.
Zimbabwe's Foreign Minister Murwira spoke about the deep need for peace talks. "We feel great pain that 400,000 people left their homes in Goma this year," he said.
Important leaders plan to attend the meeting. Congo's President Tshisekedi will attend. Rwanda's President Kagame, Tanzania's President Hassan, South Africa's President Ramaphosa, Uganda's President Museveni, and Somalia's President Mohamud will also attend.
The southern group has 16 nations. The eastern group has eight. Congo and Tanzania belong to both groups. Rwanda, which Congo says helps the M23 rebels, belongs to the eastern group. Rwanda says this is not true.
The meeting follows an earlier talk in Zimbabwe's capital last month. Leaders there saw the rapid changes in Congo's safety problems and decided they must meet immediately to find answers.
The African Union wants to end all guns in Africa by 2063. This is part of their big plan for peace, which involves asking all sides in the fight to talk things out.
The United Nations helps keep peace in Congo through its special force, MONUSCO. Both the UN and the African Union want peace, but they fear the fighting might spread to nearby lands.
President Mnangagwa has promised to work hard for peace and to keep the guns quiet in this troubled area.
The meeting brings together nations from southern and eastern Africa. They aim to end fighting in eastern Congo, an area rich in natural resources.
Ministers from both areas met earlier. They talked about the growing dangers in eastern Congo. Rebels have taken control of some towns there. The fighting has left 2,000 people dead. Many more had to run from their homes.
Zimbabwe's Foreign Minister Murwira spoke about the deep need for peace talks. "We feel great pain that 400,000 people left their homes in Goma this year," he said.
Important leaders plan to attend the meeting. Congo's President Tshisekedi will attend. Rwanda's President Kagame, Tanzania's President Hassan, South Africa's President Ramaphosa, Uganda's President Museveni, and Somalia's President Mohamud will also attend.
The southern group has 16 nations. The eastern group has eight. Congo and Tanzania belong to both groups. Rwanda, which Congo says helps the M23 rebels, belongs to the eastern group. Rwanda says this is not true.
The meeting follows an earlier talk in Zimbabwe's capital last month. Leaders there saw the rapid changes in Congo's safety problems and decided they must meet immediately to find answers.
The African Union wants to end all guns in Africa by 2063. This is part of their big plan for peace, which involves asking all sides in the fight to talk things out.
The United Nations helps keep peace in Congo through its special force, MONUSCO. Both the UN and the African Union want peace, but they fear the fighting might spread to nearby lands.
President Mnangagwa has promised to work hard for peace and to keep the guns quiet in this troubled area.
