AU Ready to Restore Peace in DRC

(APA)--Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, who is also the African Union (AU) chairperson, has told British Foreign Minister David Miliband and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner that the AU was ready to restore peace in the eastern province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Kikwete, who was speaking over the weekend at the State House in Dar es Salaam, said that. With the support of such initiatives from European Union (EU) and the United Nations, the AU was ready to make sure that the Eastern Province was peaceful.

He said there was need of immediate action to avert further escalation of the humanitarian crisis in the North Kivu Province where internally displaced citizens are without food, water and other necessities. The president said he was expecting to receive a special envoy from Rwandan President Paul Kagame late Sunday, while DRC President Joseph Kabila would send his envoy on Monday.

Tanzanian Foreign Minister Bernard Membe told the reporters that the two parties expect to meet in Nairobi this week to discuss the DRC crisis and he was optimistic that the summit would come up with the way forward to solve the problem.

Kouchner and Miliband urged the DRC to take proper command of its forces, honour its obligations under the Nairobi accords, and establish channels of communication with all communities in the country and all its neighbours.

The two foreign ministers have visited DRC, Rwanda and Tanzania in an effort to stop the latest crisis to rock the mineral rich country, which has seen thousands of Congolese flee their homes following an eruption of fighting between Congolese troops and their allies and the rebels of renegade general, Laurent Nkunda and his supporters, who are allegedly backed by Rwanda.

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