Regional leaders of the East African Community meeting in Nairobi, Kenya over security challenges in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Monday called for strong action to stop all offensive language, hate speech, threats of genocide and other politically inciting rhetoric.
The summit by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta was also attended by Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Salva Kiir of South Sudan, Antoine Felix Tshisekedi of DR Congo and Evariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi.
Tanzania was represented by Dr.John Steven Simba Chawene, High Commissioner to Kenya.
According to the final resolutions of the summit, the heads of state committed to contribute to reconciliation and lasting peace and determined to find a swift and lasting solution to the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, particularly in the North and South Kivu as well as Ituri Provinces.
They appreciated the supremacy of the constitution of the DRC and committed to maintaining a unified and secure country, with coherence and credible institutions of central government exercising full territorial authority and recognizing that peaceful means are the best way to resolve conflicts, reds part of the statement
Among other resolutions of the summit is the creation of the regional force which will be constituted as an East African Community force under the EAC Protocol on Peace and Security and the EAC Treaty Article 124 on regional peace and security and Article 125 on cooperation in defense.
It said that the proposed regional force received its operational mandate and detailed its operational structure for the heads of state.
Regional leaders directed that an immediate ceasefire should be enforced and cessation of hostilities should commence immediately, including withdrawal from recently taken positions.
In doing so, the political process should be intensified by all parties in order to allow the citizens of the DR Congo feel safe and secure and be able to pick up and continue their respective social, cultural and economic activities, the statement said
They also emphasized that all offensive language, hate speech, threats of genocide and other politically inciting language must cease and must be discouraged by all parties.
The people of the DR Congo must be encouraged to work together in order to stabilize the east of the country for it to prosper, they resolved.
CU/as/APA