Photo : Arlette Bashizi/Reuters
NIAS Area Studies
AFRICA MONITOR
Photo : Arlette Bashizi/Reuters
IN BRIEF
by Apoorva Sudhakar
Democratic Republic of the Congo: M23 ready to withdraw, says spokesperson
On 6 December, the M23 spokesperson announced the armed group's willingness to disengage and withdraw from the territories it controlled in eastern DRC. The spokesperson said the M23 would also support the regional attempts at establishing peace in the east. The development came alongside the conclusion of week-long talks between former Kenyan President and mediator Uhuru Kenyatta and almost 50 armed groups operating in the DRC; M23 did not participate in the talks. The M23 spokesperson instead requested a meeting with the East African Community and Kenyatta. ("M23 says ready to ‘withdraw’ in eastern DRC, yet clashes reported," Al Jazeera, 7 December 2022)
Democratic Republic of the Congo: M23 calls for meeting with Kenyatta, Tshisekedi
On 7 December, News24 reported that the M23 rebel group had called on mediator and former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta to discuss “matters of concern.” The M23 spokesperson also called on the DRC president Felix Tshisekedi and said: “The M23 reiterates its readiness to the direct dialogue with the DRC government in order to find a lasting solution to the root causes of the conflict in the eastern DRC.” (Lenin Ndebele, “M23 rebels insist on meeting DRC President Felix Tshisekedi, EAC facilitator Uhuru Kenyatta,” News24, 7 December 2022)
Sudan: UN hopeful about recently-signed political framework
On 7 December, the head of the UN mission in the country UNITAMS told the UNSC that signing a political framework could help Sudan out of the “uncertainty and insecurity sparked by the October 2021 coup.” The Special Representative said the framework could help Sudanese citizens realise their aspirations. The representative said once a political agreement that leads to a civilian government is arrived at, the latter “should pave the way towards building a democratic State based on human rights, rule of law and gender equality, and provide a future for the young men and women of Sudan.” (“New political deal ‘offers a path’ to realizing Sudanese aspirations,” UN News, 7 December 2022)