NAIROBI, Jan 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The fourth round of the dialogue between the DR Congo government and armed groups is set to begin in mid-February, the office of Uhuru Kenyatta, the facilitator of the East African Community-led peace process.
For the first time, the inter-Congolese dialogue will be held in conflict-ridden eastern DR Congo, a region that has known no peace for decades. The previous rounds took place in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.
After a meeting on Jan 12 between Kenyatta and Bertrand Bisimwa, president of the M23 rebel group, which was side-lined from the third round of talks held in late November to early December 2022, the facilitator’s office said the peace talks will be brought closer to the conflict zones.
Kenyatta and the M23 leader “acknowledged with appreciation that the Nairobi IV consultations expected to commence in mid to late February 2023 will directly seek to consolidate all the considerable gains of the last few months and assist in bringing greater peace and stability to the eastern DRC,” reads a statement from the facilitator’s office.
“They took note and expressed gratitude that the Nairobi IV Intra-Congolese consultations will be held in key towns of eastern DRC and thereby bring the Nairobi process closer to the various affected communities.” — NNN-AGENCIES
