Kinshasa - The head of Angolan diplomacy, Téte António, said that President João Lourenço's visit to Kinshasa on Monday was already part of efforts to consolidate the ceasefire between the DRC and Rwanda.
The government official was speaking at a press conference at the end of a private meeting between the President of the DRC, Félix Tshisekedi and his Angolan counterpart, João Lourenço, the latter as a mediator of the African Union (AU) in the tension that divides that country and Rwanda.
He emphasized the need to strengthen trust between the parties as a starting point, stressing that the visit of President João Lourenço to Kinshasa 'is already part of this effort to consolidate the ceasefire'.
Teté António underlined the work being carried out to strengthen and consolidate “what has been acquired”, stressing that the ceasefire is not, in itself, an end, but a premise for “doing the rest of the work that should lead to the pacification and stability of the Democratic Republic of Congo”.
According to the head of Angolan diplomacy, João Lourenço's visit served, in a meeting with his Congolese counterpart, to exchange views more precisely on the ceasefire reached on July 30 in Luanda, and on the engagement in the process, especially by President Tshisekedi.
Téte António declared that the two Heads of State will continue to work to consolidate what has been achieved.
For her part, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Francophonie of the DRC, Kayikwamba Thérèse Wagner, made it known that, during the presidential meeting, Félix Tshisekedi recognized the efforts and initiatives mobilized by João Lourenço, 'for many months to facilitate this process' in search of lasting peace in the DRC.
The diplomat stressed that both Heads of State welcomed the ceasefire, which has been in force since August 4, urging its observance and compliance by all parties.
He called for the creation of an environment conducive to the end of hostilities and welcomed the contribution of the other parties to the 'Luanda Process'.
In this regard, he said, President Tshisekedi reiterated the Congolese Government's willingness to embrace the 'Luanda Process', adding that the DRC remains committed to the cessation of hostilities in support of strengthening the monitoring mechanism of the pacification process.
The paths for the pacification of the Eastern DRC are defined in the Luanda Roadmap, a document approved in the Angolan capital on July 6, 2022, during the Tripartite Summit of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), between Angola, DRC and Rwanda. ADR/IZ/DOJ
