African leaders urge immediate ceasefire in DRC

At a recent summit in Tanzania, leaders from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC) called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) amid escalating violence from the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels. The summit highlighted the urgency of peace talks involving all parties, including the rebels, and set a five-day deadline for army chiefs to devise a ceasefire plan and address humanitarian needs. The conflict has resulted in significant casualties and displacement, with recent UN reports indicating that at least 700,000 people have been displaced and hundreds killed in just the past few weeks. The leaders emphasized the need for reopening critical supply routes and Goma airport to facilitate humanitarian assistance, as well as the withdrawal of foreign armed forces from the DRC. Rwandan President Paul Kagame, present at the summit, has denied allegations of Rwanda's involvement in backing the M23 rebels, despite persistent UN claims of Rwandan military control over the group. The summit underscored the importance of political and diplomatic solutions to restore peace in the region.