President Kiir And The Quest For Regional Stability In East Africa.

By Akol Dok*

On February 23rd, the South Sudan President and East Africa Community (EAC) Chairman toured Rwanda and Burundi to stem tensions between Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

On 23^rd November 2023, President Salva Kiir assumed the East Africa Community's (EAC) leadership, the first time South Sudan assumed the Chairpersonship. President Salva Kiir oversaw the integration of Somalia into the Union but faced a myriad of regional security and economic challenges.

African solutions for African problems are a standard message echoed by leaders across the continent. They believe Africa can solve its internal issues without foreign intervention. To achieve this vision, regional multilateral bodies must be empowered to mediate conflict between sisterly states.

Salva Kiir’s first move as the EAC Head was to address the DRC conflict. DRC, Rwanda, and Burundi are in a precarious position. The DRC and Burundi both accuse Rwanda of supporting rebel movements against their Governments, a claim Kigali denies.

Conflict in Eastern DRC has proliferated following the withdrawal of the EAC Regional Forces (EACRF) between the DRC armed forces and the M23 rebels. Kinshasa continues to blame Kigali for supporting the M23 rebels and declined to renew the EACRF’s mandates after President Tshisekedi condemned the EACRF for failing to eliminate the M23 rebels and other armed groups that refuse to surrender.

 Two peace initiatives, led by President Joao Lourenco and Uhuru Kenyatta, encourage dialogue and conflict resolution. Kiir’s trip signals that the EAC prioritizes regional security and stability. President Salva is uniquely versed in addressing regional insecurity and instability; his nation is recovering from a civil war.

President Salva has advocated for peaceful resolution and dialogue to avert violent escalation. He understands conflict in the DRC will impact the entire regional bloc and the continent. President Salva can integrate the African Union and EAC initiatives for peace in DRC.

 To actualize the East African Community's economic and political potential, we must solve regional security and stability. Regional leaders must balance state sovereignty with collective regional peace and stability responsibility. The EAC must work together to address the DRC issue and ensure all sides reach a peaceful, settled settlement and avert violent conflict, which can abrogate the bloc's vision.

*Akol Dok is a successful entrepreneur, writer, and analyst. Akol is a well-known political analyst and writer. He provides insightful analyses of Africa's political economy in the evolving global context. His expertise has earned him appearances on various media platforms such as CNBC Africa, CGTN Africa, Radio Miraya, RT International, Yahoo News, and The Nation.

Akol hosts the South Sudan and The World podcast, which focuses on South Sudanese people making positive contributions around the globe. The podcast is available on popular platforms like Spotify, YouTube, Apple, and Google Podcasts. South Sudanese people are making positive contributions to the world. The podcast is available on popular platforms like Spotify, YouTube, Apple, and Google Podcasts.