The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo is asking the East African regional force to leave the eastern part of the country because they haven’t been able to bring peace. They want them gone by December.
Patrick Muyaya, the government spokesperson, expressed his frustration on Monday, saying, “They have not been able to resolve the problem.”
According to Muyaya, the M23 rebels have not followed the agreements signed in Luanda, Angola, last year, which required them to withdraw from the areas they control.
Muyaya mentioned that the regional East African Community (EAC) heads of state need to decide on the ability of this regional force to handle the situation.
Since November of last year, troops from Uganda, Burundi, South Sudan, and Kenya have been sent as part of the EAC force to bring peace to the troubled North Kivu province.
This area, rich in minerals, has been stuck in conflict for over twenty years, even with the presence of UN peacekeeping forces since 1999.
Last year, EAC leaders ordered the M23 rebels to stop fighting and withdraw to Mount Sabinyo, on the DR Congo side of the border with Uganda.
The M23 rebels, however, halted their withdrawal in April after Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi excluded them from discussions.
Mr. Tshisekedi, who is running for re-election in December, recently urged the large UN force to start leaving this year instead of next year, as originally planned.