DR Congo Youth Hail Museveni, Urge Him to Champion Eastern DRC Stabilisation

Youth from Democratic Republic of Congo attending the APRM Youth Continental Symposium in Kampala have called upon President Yoweri Museveni to champion peace in the Eastern region of the Congo.

Ms. Iris Nzolantima, the coordinator of the Presidential Program of Youth Mentoring (La Table des Décisions) and the DRC African Union Youth Charter Hustler, while speaking at the event, said: "I admired President Kaguta Museveni's address when he opened the APRM Youth Symposium."  Ms. Nzolantima said she represents the voice of other young people in the DRC.

Speaking at the opening of the event, President Museveni told youths to participate in stabilizing and securing Africa.

On her part, Nzolantima said: "As Congolese youth, we are concerned about the security situation in Eastern Congo which is our country." She is among Congolese who believe that the M23 militia, which has destabilized the Eastern Congo for years -- is being supported by the Rwandan government.

(Rwanda has dismissed claims that it is supporting the rebel group.)

Rwandan President Paul Kagame and his Congolese counterpart Felix Tshisekedi met in Angola on Wednesday and agreed on a roadmap that included an immediate cessation of hostilities and the retreat of M23 fighters from Congo.

M23 spokesman Willy Ngoma described the Luanda agreement as “an illusion”.

“Only the M23 can sign the cease-fire with the government,” he said. Fresh clashes broke out in eastern Congo on Thursday between the military and M23 rebels.

Congo has accepted a proposal for an East African regional force to be deployed in its east to help control the violence, but only if Rwanda does not take part. Kagame has said he had no problem with Rwanda not being involved. 

Ms. Iris Nzolantima called on partner states to "strengthen the capacity of young people in peace building, conflict prevention and conflict resolution through the promotion of intercultural learning, tolerance, democracy, the importance for dialogue and cooperation".

Youth leaders Delegates of African countries were invited to attend the fifth sitting of the 11th Parliament of Uganda where Iris Nzolantima spoke about the Congolese youth advocacy on peace and security of the Eastern Congo to youth Members of Parliament.