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President Ruto confirms Kagame and Tshisekedi’s participation in joint EAC-SADC summit

By Théophile Niyitegeka
On 3 February 2025 at 07:45

Kenyan President William Ruto, who also chairs the East African Community (EAC), has announced that the joint EAC and Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit on the eastern DRC conflict will take place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

He confirmed that Rwandan President Paul Kagame and DRC’s Félix Tshisekedi are among the heads of state who have confirmed their participation, sharing the update on his X account.

“Through our collective effort, we will ensure security reigns in our continent,” he said.

Kenya’s State House also confirmed that the summit will be held on Friday and Saturday following an agreement between SADC Chairperson, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, and EAC Chairperson, Kenyan President William Ruto.

“President Samia Suluhu Hassan has graciously agreed to host the summit to deliberate on the situation in Eastern DRC,” reads a statement from Kenya’s State House, quoting President Ruto.

The summit will be preceded by a ministerial meeting on Friday, before the Heads of State convene on Saturday.

Ruto said he has engaged several regional leaders, including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, all of whom have confirmed their participation.

The confirmation of the summit follows SADC’s acceptance of an EAC request during a meeting hosted by Mnangagwa in Harare on Friday.

The discussions were prompted by the M23 rebel group’s capture of Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province, which had led Ruto to convene EAC leaders for a virtual session on Thursday.

During the virtual summit, EAC Heads of State proposed a joint session with SADC to address the escalating security crisis in eastern DRC.

In a post-summit statement, the leaders emphasized the importance of diplomacy in resolving the conflict.

“The summit called for a peaceful settlement of the conflicts and strongly urged the government of the DRC to directly engage with all stakeholders, including the M23 and other armed groups that have grievances,” the statement read.

As M23 advanced into Goma, FARDC soldiers and their allied forces, including the FDLR terrorist group, were defeated. Instead of repelling the attackers, they launched artillery shells into Rwanda’s Rubavu District.

Speaking at the summit, President Kagame vowed to take action following the shelling, which resulted in the deaths of 15 Rwandans and left several others injured.

Tensions between Rwanda and the DRC have escalated since the resurgence of the M23 rebel group in 2022.

Kinshasa accuses Kigali of supporting the rebels, a claim Rwanda has repeatedly denied, urging the DRC to resolve its internal issues without blaming neighboring countries.

Kagame also expressed frustration over the unyielding involvement of international actors in the DRC crisis, particularly highlighting South Africa’s role.

Kenyan President William Ruto doubles as the Chairperson of the East African Community.

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