- Recent attempts to stop violence militarily have failed and sometimes backfired, say security analysts and rights groups.
- Congo imposed martial law in eastern Ituri and North Kivu provinces in May and began operations against Islamist group.
Image: KDF
Military chiefs from the East African Community will meet in Nairobi from June 15 to 19 to discuss establishing a regional force to help restore peace in the DR Congo.
The Nairobi meeting will follow up on the June 6 meeting in Goma, DRC, that discussed establishing a regional military force to combat armed groups.
The DR Congo is battling insurgent groups, especially the Islamist group known as the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).
Congo imposed martial law in its eastern Ituri and North Kivu provinces in May and began joint operations with Uganda's army in November against the ADF.
The group often murders civilians in retaliation for military campaigns against it, human rights groups and security analysts say. It killed more than 1,200 people in 2021, an increase of almost 50 per cent from the previous year, the UN said.
Intervention is considered urgent. The DR Congo joined the East African Community in April.
On April 21, the Heads of State Conclave in Nairobi called for urgent deployment of a regional force.
The force is supposed to help contain and, where necessary, fight the negative forces in Eastern DRC.
DRC Chief of General Staff General Célestin Mbala Munsense reiterated the willingness to restore peace in the Eastern DRC and the East African subregion by the EAC heads of state.
He said the regional heads of state have called upon the local armed groups to surrender unconditionally, cease hostilities and return to their countries of origin.
Kenya's Chief of Defence Forces General Robert Kibochi said Congo was admitted as a new member into the EAC, technically expanding the community from the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic.
Kibochi is also chairman of the Committee of Chiefs of Defence Forces of the EAC partner states.
"This will not only expand the community's market by an additional 90 million people, but will also enhance regional economic and social cooperation and allow citizens to share experiences," he said.
The CDF said for this aspiration to be fully realised, "Peace and security is of utmost importance and this is the reason we are meeting in Goma today."
Kibochi said peace and security is critical in anchoring the EAC's integration. He said stability is vital for regional prosperity.
“We must therefore collectively support efforts to address security challenges and restore peace and stability in the Eastern DRC. This will allow our people to exploit the full potential of regional integration," he said.
Options for force sustainability should have the highest priority, with a clear coordination mechanism with other actors within the theatre, he said.
Recent attempts to stop the violence militarily have failed, and in some cases backfired, security analysts and human rights groups say.
Meanwhile, commander of the Ethiopian Air Force Lt Gen Yilma Merdasa paid a courtesy call on the Commander of the Kenya Air Force, Maj Gen John Omenda, at KAF Headquarters on June 10.
They discussed cooperation and partnership in air security.
(Edited by V. Graham)