Rwanda, Congo Reach Truce In Abuja
From Madu Onuorah (Abuja) and Agency Report
RWANDA and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) may not go to war over the rift between them as the Presidents of both countries yesterday in Abuja restated their commitments to the implementation of the Pretorial Agreement.
The Pretorial Agreement spelt out the modalities for the disarmament, demobilisation, repatriation and rehabilitation of ex-combatants in both countries.
Yesterday's peace parley at Abuja was hosted by President Olusegun Obasanjo between Presidents Paul Kagame (Rwanda) and Joseph Kabila (DRC).
The two countries of the Central Africa's Great Lakes Region have for a few years been at loggerheads over the infiltration of rebels between their borders.
Essentially, tension between Rwanda (a small country) and Congo (one of the biggest nations in Africa) has risen since Kabila allegedly accused Rwanda of backing a rebellion by renegade troops in the Eastern Congolese town of Bukaru this month.
Kabila sent 10,000 loyal troops to crush the insurgence near the Rwandan border, a move denounced by Rwanda as hostile.
The insurgence by renegade troops was a blow to Kabila's transition government as it tried to impose its authority on Africa's third-largest nation and reconcile feuding factions after five years of war.
Recent fighting around Bukavu, a region rich in minerals, has displaced 85,000 people and raised fears that the region will slide back into a war that ended in 2003 having killed three million people, mostly from disease and starvation.
Following the continued hostilities between both nations in the Lake Region, Kagame sent his National Security Adviser to Nigeria to brief President Obasanjo.
On his way back from Lusaka, Zambia last week, the President stopped over in Kinshasha for a meeting with President Kabila.
Since then, President Obasanjo has been in constant dialogue with both Presidents Kigame and Kabila in order to resolve their differences.
Kabila and Kagame who arrived in Abuja in separate jets yesterday for the peace meeting and talks declined comment on the matter.
They were whisked into the presidential wing of the airport where the one-day parley got underway under the chairmanship of President Obasanjo as the chairman of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU).
A statement signed by the three presidents reads in part: "The two presidents (Kabila and Kagame) recommitted themselves to the implementation of the Pretoria Agreement.
"In that connection, they agreed to the reactivation of the Joint Verification Mechanism expeditiously. They are also to take steps to resolve all other issues outstanding from the Pretoria Agreement, especially disarmament, demobilization, repatriation and rehabilitation."
The statement was read to reporters by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olu Adeniyi.
Meanwhile, President of Sao Tome and Principe, Fradique de-Menesez yesterday began a three-day state visit to Nigeria.
Menesez, who last year was almost toppled from power by rebellious soldiers while attending the Sullivan summit in Nigeria, arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja at about 2.30 p.m and was received by Adeniji.
After settling down in his guest house, he alter proceeded to the forecourt of the Presidential Villa where the welcoming ceremony took place.
This included a ceremonial 21-gun salute and inspection of a guard of honour by a detachment of troops of the elite Brigade of Guards.
President Obasanjo led the welcoming party made up of top government officials. After the welcoming ceremonies, the two Presidents moved into the Council Chambers where bilateral talks took place.
A state banquet was later held in honour of the visiting Sao Tome and Principe President at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa.
