APA-Nouakchott (Mauritania) Ghazouani’s mediation between Kigali and Kinshasa is in his capacity as rotating chair of the African Union.
On Thursday 28 March, Mauritanian head of state Mohamed Ould Cheikh Ghazouani received his counterpart from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Felix Tshisekedi, at the presidential palace in Nouakchott, as part of diplomatic efforts to resolve the bloody armed conflict ravaging the eastern region of the vast Central African country, which is causing a serious crisis with Rwanda, its neighbour to the east.
Ould Cheikh Ghazouani is intervening, diplomatically, in his capacity as rotating chair of the African Union (AU).
Fighting has been resuming for months between the Congolese army and the M23 rebels, who are seeking to control eastern Congo with the support, according to Kinshasa, of the Rwandan army, sometimes provoking a risky military escalation for the region.
Tshisekedi’s visit to Nouakchott comes on the heels of a visit to the Mauritanian capital by a special envoy of Rwandan President Paul Kagame, and a telephone conversation between Ould Ghazouani and João
Lourenço of Angola, the AU’s mediator between the DRC and Rwanda.
On his arrival in Nouakchott, the Congolese leader began a closed-door meeting with the Mauritanian president.
The presidency of the Democratic Republic of Congo stated on social media platforms that the talks behind closed doors lasted for one hour.
According to the Congolese presidency, the Mauritanian president, in his capacity as current chairman of the African Union, promised to provide “firm diplomatic support” for the path to peace in the DRC.
According to it, the initiative led by the Mauritanian president will build on a process already begun in Luanda, Angola and Nairobi, Kenya to restore security and stability in eastern DR Congo.
The Mauritanian presidency has made no comment on this subject, while sources close to the presidency indicate that “Ould Ghazouani is interested in calming armed conflicts in various parts of the continent during his presidency of the African Union.”
In this context, prior to President Tshisikedi’s arrival in Nouakchott on Wednesday, Ould Ghazouani was on the phone with his Angolan counterpart, João Lourenço, who discussed the situation in eastern Congo and its impact in the sub-region.
A telegram published by the (official) Mauritanian press agency states that during the talks, Ould Ghazouani affirmed “his support for the mediation efforts undertaken by President João Lourenço, in his capacity as rotating vice-president of the African Union, with a view to restoring security” and stability in the DR Congo.
Last Monday, Ould Ghazouani received Rwandan Foreign Minister Vincent Biruta in his office in Nouakchott, in his capacity as special envoy of President Paul Kagame.
In a statement, the Rwandan official stated that he had delivered a message covering bilateral cooperation and some regional issues, without revealing further details relating to the crisis in eastern DR Congo.
AM/LOS/fss/as/APA
Mauritania’s Ghazouani mediating end to Kigali-Kinshasa feud
