Former president Uhuru Kenyatta has expresses concerns by the escalation of conflict and humanitarian crisis in parts of eastern DRC.
In a joint communique, Uhuru and EAC said the parties to the current skirmishes should immediately halt their offensives, agree to a cessation of hostilities, allow for unhindered and sustained humanitarian access, withdraw and vacate from occupied areas and pursue a negotiated settlement through peace talks under the EAC- Led Nairobi Process.
Uhuru is the current AU-Kenya Peace Envoy and EAC Facilitator of the EAC-Led Nairobi process on the inter -Congolese Consultations and Dialogue on the restoration of Peace and Stability in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
"The EAC also condemns the escalating situation in parts of South Kivu and call on all negative elements and armed groups to cease armed actions, voluntarily lay down their arms and participate in the Nairobi Process and the National Disarmament and Demobilization Programme," read part of the communique.
Uhuru said the EAC denounces all violence against civilians and calls on all parties to recognise that there is no military solution to the conflict and embrace a peaceful means to the settlement.
His sentiments were echoed by the current chair of the African Union and President of Senegal, Macky Sall, and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat who said both sides should respect international law, the safety and security of civilians and the stability at the borders of all countries in the region.
They urge all stakeholders to engage in a constructive dialogue within the existing mechanism of the African Union's Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the DRC and the region, and the East African Community's Inter-Congolese peace dialogue.
In this regard, they called all the parties to participate in good faith in the third Inter-Congolese peace dialogue in Nairobi from 4th to 13th November 2022.
The duo further expressed their full support to the Rwanda Roadmap aimed at normalising the political relations between the DRC and Rwanda stressing that the initiatives by the AU, EAC and ICGLR are complementary and mutually reinforcing.