President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa recently convened with his Ugandan counterpart, President Yoweri Museveni, at State House Entebbe to address the ongoing conflict in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Alongside Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, and other military officers, the leaders delved into matters concerning regional peace and security, specifically focusing on the situation in Eastern DRC, as stated by the South African presidency.
South Africa maintains a troop presence in the DRC, actively thwarting multiple attempts by M23 rebels to seize strategic towns such as Sake and Goma. Tragically, four South African soldiers have lost their lives in the conflict since their deployment on December 15, 2023. However, amidst the military efforts, voices advocating for prioritizing peace talks to resolve the M23 conflict have grown louder. The unrest has resulted in hundreds of casualties and pushed tens of thousands to the brink of starvation.
Bintou Keita, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in the DRC, has stressed the imperative need for M23 to fully withdraw from the territories they have occupied. Keita underscores the importance of adhering to the agreements outlined in the Luanda communiqué of November 2022, aiming to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC.
M23 insurgents have continued to capture new territories, citing grievances against the Congolese government, including allegations of systematic discrimination and persecution against Tutsi communities in Eastern DRC.
President Ramaphosa’s previous visit to Kampala in January 2024, for the 19th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit, preceded his recent meeting with President Museveni. Following discussions in Uganda, Ramaphosa proceeded to Juba, South Sudan, to strengthen bilateral relations between the two nations. During his visit, he is set to receive a comprehensive briefing from President Salva Kiir Mayardit and other stakeholders on the status of implementing the Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS), signed on September 12, 2018.
