President Nangolo Mbumba has called for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), urging conflicting parties to pursue diplomatic means in line with the principles of the United Nations Charter.
This follows an extraordinary summit on Friday by the Southern African Development Community heads of states in Harare, Zimbabwe, chaired by president Emmerson Mnangagwa where minister of defence and veterans affairs Frans Kapofi is representing Namibia to discuss the escalating conflicts in DRC.
Speaking during the diplomatic corps’ New Year’s greeting on Friday, Mbumba said the current situation in DRC is of great concern, with the potential to spill over into a regional conflict.
Eastern DRC has been embroiled in conflict following the significant territorial gains by the M23 rebels with intense gunfire fighting across parts of Goma, a city with over two million people, this week and reports suggest clashes between DRC and Rwanda troops along their shared border.
“Namibia will continue to advocate for dialogue to bring warring parties to the negotiating table, thereby giving sustainable peace and stability a chance,” he said.
Meanwhile, the new high commissioner of Rwanda to Namibia, Emmanuel Hategeka, says Rwanda is rooting for peace and stability in the East African community and the entire African continent.
“Rwanda is a major peace-contributing country when it comes to peacekeeping forces on the continent and globally. The issues in eastern DRC are a concern to all of us. We all believe that all peace-loving leaders should be looking at the root causes of the crisis and opt for a political solution as opposed to any military interventions,” he says.
Hategeka presented his letters of credence to Mbumba at State House on Friday.
– Nampa
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