The leaders of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) plan to convene another meeting next week to discuss the rising tensions in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
This decision comes after talks in Windhoek, Namibia, between President William Ruto and Zimbabwe’s leader Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Ruto currently leads the EAC bloc, whereas Mnangagwa heads SADC.
The encounter among the leaders took place during the margins of the swearing-in ceremony for Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who became the nation's inaugural female president.
It marked a dual celebration as the nation was simultaneously observing its 35th independence day anniversary.
As stated, Ruto mentioned that they confirmed their dedication to carrying out the decisions made during last month’s joint summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. This summit focused on reinstating peace and stability within the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
"The main priority is tackling the crisis and achieving enduring peace," he stated.
Along with addressing the issues in the DRC, the leaders decided to bolster regional integration and boost trade through the Tripartite Free Trade Agreement. This agreement unites EAC, SADC, and COMESA.
They committed to progressing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement with the aim of enhancing trade within Africa.
The scheduled virtual conference is taking place despite the ongoing advances made by the M23 rebels.
It is reported that on Wednesday, the rebels took control of the town of Walikale.
Despite the increasing global demands for a halt to hostilities, this persists.
The insurgents infiltrated the mining center located in North Kivu province one day following a meeting between Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwanda’s president, Paul Kagame, who had urged for an urgent halt fire during their talks in Doha, the capital city of Qatar.
Nestor Mavudisa, a spokesman for the Congolese Army (FARDC), verified on Thursday that "the adversary" had taken control of Walikale, which lies approximately 400 kilometers (250 miles) away from Kisangani, the nation's third-biggest urban center.
The inaugural joint summit between the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) took place on February 8th this year in Tanzania. Several decisions were made during the gathering.
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