Ver Angola

Politics

Presidents of Kenya and Angola concerned about conflict in DRCongo

The Presidents of Kenya and Angola met this Wednesday, in Luanda, to discuss regional issues, including the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which raises “common” concerns for both countries, according to the head of Angolan diplomacy.

: CIPRA
CIPRA  

The President of Kenya, William Ruto, who arrived in Luanda on Tuesday night, met this Wednesday morning, at the Presidential Palace, with his counterpart, João Lourenço, with no details about the meeting being given.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Téte António, who spoke to the press at Luanda airport, after saying goodbye to William Ruto, who left the country without making a statement, said that issues related to the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (CIRGL) had been addressed, which he did not specify.

"We are in a region with issues of interest and, certainly, there was also no lack of addressing issues that concern us all, as Africans, as members of the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region, [which] President João Lourenço presides", said Téte António.

The Great Lakes region, which includes, in addition to Angola, 11 other countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRCongo) and Rwanda, has a long history of conflicts, fueled by colonial legacies, ethnic divisions and claims over natural resources.

Téte António highlighted that the visit was brief, but "very productive" and that Ruto was "very satisfied with the level of conversation he had with the President of the Republic" and confident in the future of the relationship between the two countries.

Asked about the conflict in DRCongo, where the M23 armed group (which Kinshasa says is supported by Rwanda) occupied a portion of territory in North Kivu, he said that "Angola's concerns are also those of Kenya" and that there has been concertation between two countries in terms of peace efforts, in the Nairobi and Luanda processes, focused on finding solutions to end the conflict.

The official said that the speed with which the visit took place is related to the consultation and good relations between the two States, remembering that, in October 2023, João Lourenço also visited Kenya.

On the occasion, several agreements were signed, and this Wednesday's conversation was linked to the bilateral relationship, "which is fed by these agreements" and the perspective of developing the bilateral relationship.

"And there is no better way to do it than for the head of state, from time to time, to meet, even if [it's] for a short time, to resolve issues of common interest", he indicated, adding that the presidency was also approached of the African Union (AU) and remembering that Kenya has assumed the presidency of the East African Community (EAC) since last December.

João Lourenço will assume, next month, the annual rotating presidency of the AU.

"Therefore, this exercise will be very common between the President, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, and the Presidents of regional economic communities, as is the case now in Kenya", within the scope of the principle of subsidiarity, said the minister, highlighting that Ruto is the person in charge of reforming the African Union.

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