Africa’s Heads of State have engaged in a closed-door sideline meeting in which they discussed the peace and security situation in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Mini-Summit precedes the official opening of the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union, intending to silence the Guns in Africa by 2030. 

The meeting took place at the Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Peace and Security Auditorium at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa.

The closed-door Mini Summit was convened by the Angolan president also AU Champion of Peace and Reconciliation in Africa João Manuel Goncalves Lorenco.

The mini-summit on DR Congo aimed to find lasting solutions to the peace, security and stability in the region. 

Uganda is being represented at the meeting by H.E. Vice President Maj. Jessica Alupo, who is representing President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni also the AU Champion of Integration. 

Alupo is leading a delegation comprising the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gen. Odongo Jeje Abubakhar, and Uganda’s Ambassador to the African Union H.E Amb.

Rebecca Amuge Otengo. Some of the presidents attending this important summit include South African President Cyril Rwamaphosa, Kenyan President William Ruto and Rwandese President Paul Kagame among others.

This Mini-Summit on DR Congo comes at a time when the mineral-rich country is involved in intense fighting between national forces and M23 rebels operating in Eastern DR Congo.

The same country is being used by negative forces such as ADF who are causing mayhem on Ugandans at the border districts of Kamwenge, Kasese and Bundibugyo.

The fighting in that country has since displaced many people and left scores dead.