Bujumbura is hosting the 11th summit of the monitoring mechanism of the Addis Ababa framework agreement for the DRC on Saturday. The Heads of State and Government of the thirteen member countries will discuss peace and security in the east of this country. Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi, also outgoing president of the mechanism, will hand over to Burundian Head of State Evariste Ndayishimiye. But many do not expect progress.
The Burundian authorities were reluctant until late at night to give the names of the heads of state who will participate in the summit of the framework agreement which will open shortly in Bujumbura. But yesterday, several distinguished guests landed in Bujumbura, including Antonio Guterres from the UN, Moussa Faki from the African Union and South African Cyril Ramaphosa.
DRC President Felix Tshisekedi is expected during the day, according to relatives. But there are already notable absentees, in particular Paul Kagame of Rwanda – accused by Kinshasa of being behind the M23, despite his denials – or even William Ruto: the President of Kenya, who leads the East African force deployed in eastern DRCwould be at odds with Kinshasa since the replacement of the commander-in-chief of this force.
The objective of this summit, according to our sources, would be to try to ” revitalize » the framework agreement for peace, security and cooperation in eastern DRC and the region, signed 10 years ago in Addis Ababa, while the crisis is in full swing in this area.
The Heads of State and Government will therefore adopt a new roadmap which should enable them to finally tackle ” to the root causes of conflict that have plagued the Great Lakes region for decades.
” don’t expect progress »
The Nairobi and Luanda processes will also be at the heart of the discussions, but “ do not expect progress in the absence of the rwandan president », Explains a diplomatic source.
But as things stand, Reagan Miviri, a researcher at Ebuteli, a Congolese research institute, doesn’t expect much. :
“The relevant actors are not there and this makes a duplication of other processes that are already underway,” says Reagan Miviri, researcher at Ebuteli, a Congolese research institute.
► Read also : DRC: tense atmosphere between Kinshasa and the East African Community