EAC Mission in DR Congo Extended, Mandate to Be Reviewed

Against the backdrop of the deteriorating situation in eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where more than 120 armed factions, including the March 23 Movement (M23), currently operate, the East African Community (EAC) created a regional force (EACRF) last summer to ensure peace and security in the country.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has agreed to preserve the East African Community Regional Force in the country, with the terms of the mission to be rearranged.

East African Community member states and the chiefs of their defense forces met in Bujumbura to review the EACRF's activities six months after the deployment decision was made.

At the meeting in Burundi, it was decided that Peter Mathuki, secretary-general of the EAC, would officially apply to Kinshasa with a request to extend the Status of Force Agreement (SOFA), which has expired.

In accordance with SOFA, countries participating in the program are able to fully deploy their troops in the eastern parts of the DRC in order to bring an end to the conflict in the region.

Burundi and Kenya have already deployed their forces, while South Sudan and Uganda have announced their intention to send 750 and 1,000 troops respectively, reports say.

More than 120 armed groups operate in major parts of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, including the March 23 Movement (M23), which launched an offensive against the country's government in the fall of 2022, seizing much of the country's territory.

In order to hinder the conflict in the eastern part of the DRC, in June 2022, the leaders of East African nations agreed to establish a regional armed force in the DRC with participants such as Burundi, Kenya, Uganda, and South Sudan.