Martin Kobler
The head of United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), Martin Kobler has said that Rwanda’s role is in DRC peace process is ‘vital’.
In 2013, 11 African countries signed a peace deal aimed at bringing to an end decades of conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, of which Rwanda was party to the agreement.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the German Radio DW, Kobler said that he is in negotiations with the government of Rwanda on how to draw a joint platform in restoring peace to DRC.
“I am in constant contact with the government of Rwanda. All parties are endeavoring to grasp the opportunities offered by the agreement.
I believe it is very important to involve Rwanda. It is vital that we convince all countries in the region that stability in eastern DRC is important – individual countries can only gain from this stability,” he said.
Kobler said that it is high time the World stop relying only on MONUSCO intervention brigade.
“We often hear references to MONUSCO’s intervention brigade and the restoration of the authority of the state. But that of course can’t be done, unless all countries in the region are involved in the process and playing a constructive role.
All countries are bound to respect the regional obligations they entered into at Addis Ababa. It is most important that all countries in the Great Lakes region are constructively involved in the peace process.”
Rwanda committed to peace process in DRC
Last year, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Louise Mushikiwabo said that Rwanda has registered progress in implementing the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the region, in regard to the frame work that was signed in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
While addressing the UN Security Council, Mushikiwabo said that Rwanda had made milestone achievements towards implementing the framework.
“We have made progress toward the Framework but what we need to see is the situation on the ground changing beyond the frameworks and the documents,” she said.
The Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the DRC and the Region was signed on February 24 by Angola, Burundi, the Central African Republic, Congo, DRC, Rwanda, South Africa, South Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia.
The accord aims at a complete restoration of peace in the region mainly in the eastern DRC.
It also seeks to end instabilities by use of a holistic approach that addresses the multifaceted root causes of the conflicts in the region.
Although efforts are being invested in realising the objectives of the Framework, concerns remain about warring parties’ commitments in supporting the process.
As part of implementing the framework, Mushikiwabo said, Rwanda has so far received refugees and disarmed them, collaborated with the US in sending Bosco Ntaganda to the International Criminal Court (ICC), participated in the technical committee meetings establishing the evaluation mechanism of the framework and many more.