Southern Africa to discuss DRC crisis
2013-02-08 07:49
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Maputo - Leaders from southern African countries will gather
in the Mozambican capital on Friday for an extraordinary summit to discuss the
crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo, an official said.
The meeting under the auspices of the Southern African
Development Community (SADC) "will examine the latest political
developments in the Democratic Republic of Congo", a statement from
President Armando Guebuza's office said.
It did not explain the reasons behind the hastily organised
meeting.
Mozambique holds the rotating presidency of the SADC bloc.
DRC's President Joseph Kabila has confirmed his attendance,
as has Tanzanian leader Jakaya Kikwete, who also chairs the SADC troika on
politics, defence and security.
Kabila's government and M23 rebels have been holding peace
talks in the Ugandan capital Kampala.
The negotiations in Kampala are the latest in several bids
to end a long-running conflict that has forced hundreds of thousands of people
in eastern DRC from their homes.
Regional groupings have been trying since July to set up a
neutral international force to break up the numerous militia groups that prey
on civilians in eastern DRC.
The 15-nation SADC, at its last summit in December, said it
would activate its regional standby force in order to deploy it in the
framework of the neutral force.
Tanzania and South Africa have offered to contribute troops.
