The Chairperson of the African Union Commission Mahmoud Ali Youssouf urged for an African-led solution to end the ongoing security crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and other parts of the continent.
The chairperson made the call during the high-level meeting in Lomé, Togo on the coherence and consolidation of the peace process in the DRC and the Great Lakes Region, according to his speech seen by APA on Friday.
“African-led efforts must now take precedence, giving concrete meaning to the principle of African solutions to African problems” Youssouf said.
Noting that despite multiple mediation initiatives, violence persists in Goma, Bukavu and Uvira, resulting in thousands of deaths and the displacement of hundreds of thousands.
Youssouf underscored the need for a proactive and inclusive framework that fosters dialogue between the DRC and Rwanda, engaging neighboring countries to address the root causes of the conflict and safeguarding the sovereignty of the DRC.
He said the dialogue also needs to respond to the legitimate security concerns of Rwanda and Uganda, and support Burundi in managing the growing refugee burden.
In a press conference in November last year, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security Bankole Adeoye said the AU must lead any peace negotiations on the continent, underscoring the principle of African solutions to African conflicts.
Youssouf said the African Union (AU) Commission condemns all forms of external interference in African countries facing security crises, with particular reference to the ongoing conflict in DRC and Sudan.
In his speech, Youssouf gave credits to the governments of the United States and of Qatar for their critical role in complimenting the efforts of the African Union to end the crisis in DRC.
MG/abj/APA