A delegation of ambassadors from the African Union’s Peace and Security Council (PSC) led by Burundi’s Willy Nyamitwe was received Wednesday, March 22, 2023, by the Head of State, Felix Tshisekedi. This AU body is collecting data on the ground about the crisis in the east of the country following the M23 war supported by Rwanda.
“President Tshisekedi sent a firm, clear and frank message to the members of the delegation to ask the AU to act accordingly in the face of a flagrant denial of the charter of the continental organization by Rwanda, which is aggressing against a neighboring and brotherly country without any valid reason,” reports the communication cell of Felix Tshisekedi.
Mr. Willy Nyamitwe, answering a question at the end of the meeting, said he was satisfied with the fruitful meeting his delegation had with President Felix Tshisekedi, adding that the delegation left with “a perfect knowledge” of the expectations of the Congolese population in the face of the Eastern equation and on what can be the contribution of the PSC in the resolution of the crisis there.
“For the moment, he said, the PSC is collecting information that could help it in its future services in accordance with its terms of reference. And to specify that the information collected is public and will be published, after cross-checking, in a report to be transmitted to whom it may concern. This report, he added, takes into account the various information collected at all levels (Government, civil society, victims, diplomatic corps etc.),” said the source.
According to him, the Congolese authorities have made available to his structure a Memorandum containing all the details related to the situation in the east of the country, without however setting a deadline for the publication of the report.
The Peace and Security Council (PSC) is the African Union’s permanent decision-making body for conflict prevention, management and resolution. This working visit to the DRC comes at a time when diplomatic initiatives to resolve the issue of the eastern DRC are struggling to produce convincing results on the ground.