Foreign ministers representing BRICS member nations have called for a “peaceful settlement” of the ongoing conflict in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where fighting between the Congolese army and M23 rebels has persisted.
The BRICS states’ position comes in line with that of the United Nations (UN), who has always reiterated that attaining lasting peace in North Kivu requires a political settlement of the root causes of the conflict.
On Monday, the diplomatic heads of the BRICS met in Nizhny Novgorod, Russian to discuss among other things, the security crises affecting several African states, including the DRC, which accuses its neighbour, Rwanda, of aggression .
In their joint statement; “the Ministers commended the efforts and achievements of African countries in their quest for peace and development, while expressing their deep concern at the ongoing conflicts and persistent threats posed by terrorist organizations in various sub-regions of Africa and at the potential conflicts that remain in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in the Great Lakes region and the Horn of Africa, including Sudan, as well as the increasing activity of numerous terrorist and insurgent groups”.
In the face of this alarming situation, which continues to leave a negative impact on the lives of civilian population in the east, the BRICS reiterated its commitment to seeing a “peaceful settlement”of the ongoing disputes through diplomacy, inclusive dialogue and consultations in a coordinated and cooperative manner and supported all efforts conducive to the peaceful resolution of crises.
