The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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President William Ruto had a phone conversation with King Charles III, during which they discussed various matters, including regional security and Kenya’s contribution to maintaining stability in the region.
Ruto shared this information on Monday evening, just after announcing a joint peace summit planned for the weekend to address the ongoing security issues in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
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“I spoke with His Majesty King Charles III of the United Kingdom. We discussed Kenya’s strong and long-standing relationship with the UK, and our shared commitment to nature and climate conservation. We also talked about regional peace and security, and Kenya’s role in that,” Ruto stated.
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Kenya has been a leader in efforts to combat climate change and has also played a key role in mediating regional conflicts, such as the recent crisis in the DRC, where rebel attacks in the east have led to widespread displacement.
The humanitarian situation in the DRC is worsening, with accusations flying over who is fueling the crisis in the resource-rich country, which has been in turmoil for over three decades.
According to a statement from State House, a joint summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC) will be held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on Friday and Saturday.
“This follows an agreement between SADC President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe and EAC chairperson President William Ruto of Kenya,” the statement read.
Ruto added that leaders from Tanzania, the DRC, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda, and Somalia have all confirmed their participation in the extraordinary summit.
“I’m pleased that the leadership of SADC and EAC has agreed to collaborate on addressing the conflict in eastern DRC,” Ruto said. “Peace and security are essential for fostering trade and investment in our region. Together, we will ensure security prevails across our continent.”
The conflict in eastern DRC has resulted in approximately six million deaths since 1996, with over 15 million children suffering from the impacts of armed violence. The country has faced decades of crises, some of which trace back to the Atlantic slave trade and the 75-year reign of terror under King Leopold II of Belgium. The current humanitarian crisis is largely driven by the country’s mineral wealth and the armed resistance of Tutsi-led M23 rebels, who accuse the government of trying to displace them from their ancestral land.
