The Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi yesterday represented President William Ruto at the summit of Heads of States and Government of the signatory countries of the framework agreement for Peace, Security and Cooperation (PSC) for the Democratic Republic of Congo and the region.
This is the 10th Extraordinary Summit of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR).
Retired president Uhuru Kenyatta who is also the African Union Peace Facilitator in the DRC conflict was also present during the ICGLR summit.
The meeting is a follow-up on the progress and new developments emerging after the previous summit in Bujumbura, Burundi late in May this year.
The Prime CS presented Kenya’s position in efforts to Restore Peace and Stability in Congo(DRC) and Sudan.
The various Heads of state and government from African countries present called on warring parties in DRC to engage in a meaningful and honest dialogue to resolve the prevailing conflict.
Kenya’s commitment to supporting its neighbors in their quest for lasting peace and stability is in line with the African Union’s goal of promoting African solutions to African problems.
The Summit reviewed the political and security situation prevailing in the Great Lakes Region, in particular in the East of the DRC and Sudan, and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and expressed its solidarity to the victims of the conflicts and those two countries.
The Summit reaffirmed the relevance of the decisions of the Mini Summit on Peace and Security in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo held November 23, 2022 in Luanda, Angola and invited all the parties and the M23 to fully implement its decisions as reiterated by the Mini Summit on Peace and Security in the Eastern Region of the DRC held on February 17, 2023, in Addis Ababa, Federal Republic of Ethiopia and subsequently endorsed by the Africa Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) meeting.
By working together, African countries can address the root causes of conflict and build a more peaceful and prosperous continent.
Mudavadi was accompanied Principal Secretary in the State Department for Parliamentary Affairs by Aurelia Rono, Charge D’Affaires at Kenyan Embassy in Angola Andrew Mujivane and a delegation from the Kenyan Foreign Affairs charged with the DRC Peace Process.
Earlier in the day, the Prime CS held a pre-summit meeting with Alfred Mutua and the Kenyan team who briefed him on the progress the talks and Peace Progress had taken since the Burundi summit.
The Summit affirmed its support for the conclusions of the 11th High Level Meeting of the Regional Oversight Mechanism of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework Agreement for the DRC and the region held on May 6, 2023 in Bujumbura, Burundi in particular the revitalisation of the Peace and Security Cooperation Framework.
Further, they endorsed the resolutions of the 21st Extra-ordinary Summit of the East African Community held on May 31, 2023 in Bujumbura.
Among the Heads of States present during the summit include; Felix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo (DRC) Faustin Archange Touadera (Central African Republic), Prosper Bazombaza, Vice President (Burundi), Jessica Rose Alupo Epel, Vice President (Uganda), Edouard Ngirente, Prime Minister (Rwanda) among others.
