Why President Salva Kiir Must Prioritize The DRC Conflict As The EAC Chairperson
March 18, 2024
By Akol Dok*
President Kiir understands the political sacrifices necessary for peace and security.
On 23rd November 2023, President Salva Kiir assumed the East African Community's (EAC) leadership, the first time South Sudan assumed the Chairpersonship. President Salva Kiir finalized the integration of Somalia as an eight-member state, inspiring hope and positivity for the future of the EAC. The EAC has plans for a customs union, common markets, and a monetary union. The EAC has excellent economic and political potential, but addressing security and stability is peremptory.
In February 2020, President Salva began implementing a peace agreement that included many armed opposition groups, five Vice Presidents, 35 Ministers, and 550 members of Parliament. The bloated Government is the cost Salva Kiir pays to ensure peace and stability in South Sudan.
President Salva Kiir has a history of negotiating peace agreements. He signed the Machakos Protocol in 2002 on behalf of the SPLM/A. The protocol was part of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between the SPLM/A and the Government of Sudan. In 2018, President Salva signed another peace agreement on behalf of the Government of South Sudan. He signed the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCISS) with various armed opposition groups, including the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement in Opposition (SPLM-IO) and South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA).
Kiir is uniquely positioned and experienced to push for peace and stability in the region. Kiir must utilize his opportunity as the EAC Chairperson to address peace and security, the prerequisite for economic prosperity. Peace and security have hindered South Sudan’s economic prosperity for the past decade. Salva Kiir’s first move as the EAC Head was to visit Rwanda and Burundi to discuss solutions to the regional conflict. He must prioritize the DRC conflict, seek a political solution, and prevent violent proliferation.
The March 23rd Movement (M23) has captured Nyanzale town in North Kivu province, about 70 kilometers from Goma, the provincial capital. According to Patrick Muhino, the chief of the administrative area, M23 has captured the villages of Kashalira, Kirima, Ngoroba, and the city of Nyanzale. Kinshasa, the United Nations, and Western countries say Rwanda supports the M23 rebels; Rwanda denies any role.
Former members of the National Congress formed the M23 rebels for the Defense of the People (CNDP), which signed a peace treaty with the DRC Government on March 23rd, 2009. M23 refers to the date of the peace agreement. The group rebelled, citing poor governance and the DRC Government's unwillingness to implement the peace deal.
The M23 military chief, Sultani Makenga, is an ethnic Tusi who fought for the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) during the Rwandan Civil War. In 2023, he insisted on direct peace talks with the DRC Congo government.
The DRC is a harbinger of regional peace and stability. In the 1990s, the First and Second Congo Wars dragged Uganda, Rwanda, Angola, and Burundi into a regional African war. Burundi and DRC accuse Rwanda of supporting rebels in their countries, and they have threatened to fight back. Burundi closed its border with Rwanda in early 2024. The United Nations said DRC and Rwanda “must walk back from the brink of war.” Any escalation can drag the entire region into conflict.
DRC is a member of SAADC and the EAC. The conflict could spill into Rwanda and Uganda, and Rwandan President Paul Kagame allegedly sponsors M23. Therefore, a multilateral approach is imperative. The Chairperson of the EAC, Salva Kiir, and the Chairperson of SAADC, Joao Lourenco, must collectively push for peace in this precarious conflict. Angola and South Sudan are both neighbors of the DRC.
President Kiir understands the political sacrifices necessary for peace and security. His experience is vital to convince President Flex to make political comprises and the M23 to abandon armed rebellion to spare the lives of millions of Congolese.
*Akol Dok is a successful entrepreneur, writer, and analyst who founded Orus Consulting Limited, a management and investment advisory firm. In 2022, the South Sudan National Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture awarded Orus Consulting the Best Business Consultancy award. Akol is a well-known political analyst and writer who 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, and Apple.
