Congo, Rwanda Sign Peace Agreement: Roundup

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, July 31, 2002

Congo, Rwanda Sign Peace Agreement: Roundup

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda signed a peace agreement here Tuesday to end four years of bitter warfare which had claimed 2.5 million lives.

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The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda signed a peace agreement here Tuesday to end four years of bitter warfare which had claimed 2.5 million lives.

The four-page agreement was signed by Joseph Kabila, president of the DRC, and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame in the Presidential Guest House at 4:00 p.m. local time (1400 GMT).

The two presidents signed two documents. One is the peace agreement on the withdrawal of the Rwandan troops from the territory of the DRC and the other is the implementation program.

Under the agreement, Rwanda shall withdraw some 20,000 troops from the DRC within 90 days while Rwandan Hutu Rebels shall be rounded, disarmed and repatriated within the same period.

The parties further acknowledge that the resolution of this matter will be a process and not an event, according to the peace agreement.

The agreement says "the government of the DRC reaffirms its stated legitimate right that the forces of the government of Rwanda withdraw from the territory of the DRC without delay."

The government of Rwanda reaffirms its readiness to withdraw from the territory of the DRC as soon as effective measures that address its security concerns, in particular dismantling of the ex-FAR and Interahamwe forces, have been agreed to, according to the agreement.

As a host and Chairman of the newly-born African Union (AU), South African President Thabo Mbeki chaired the signing ceremony, which was witnessed by Bakili Muluzi, Malawi president, Amara Essy,interim chairman of the Commission of the AU, Lena Fundh, representative of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

The signing ceremony was also witnessed by more than 200 ambassadors, high commissioners and representatives of the international organizations and media.

African leaders regarded it as a giant step forward toward the renaissance of Africa. Diplomats here are optimistic about the implementation of the peace agreement.

Mbeki spoke highly of the signing of the peace agreement between the DRC and Rwanda, saying that it is a "brighter day" forthe African continent.

He urged the two countries to "resolve problems soon as it might arise."

The DRC President Kabila said the signing of the peace agreement is the "demonstration of African solidarity" and that the government of the DRC is determined to live in harmony with nine neighboring countries.

"The failure of the peace agreement is no way for Congolese people," Kabila ensured the African leaders and the international communities.

Rwandan President Kagame expressed his hope for peace and stability in the region, saying that they will move "step by step"toward the lasting peace in the region.

"Today's peace agreement is a big step to solving the conflict between the two countries. Rwanda is ready to fulfill the obligations of the peace accord," he said.

Malawi President Bakili Muluzi, who is the also the chairman ofSouthern African Development Community, said: "It is a very important historic occasion today, and give people the hope of thelong-lasting peace in the region."

As a facilitator, South African Deputy President Jacob Zuma said: "I stand on this podium to make the firm commitment to the people of Rwanda and the DRC, to the whole of Africa, to the peoples of the world, that this African Republic which is honored to host you, democratic South Africa, will always roar and act as a lion for the renaissance of Africa."

In the former Zaire, South Africa began trying to broker peace soon after the war first flared in 1996, when Rwanda invaded its neighbor to topple Mobutu Sese Seko because he sheltered the militia who carried out the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

Mobutu was replaced by Joseph Kabila's father Laurent Kabila, who soon turned against his Rwandan backers by actively supportingthe thousands of Interahamwe fighters implicated in the genocide. This prompted Kagame to relaunch the war in August 1998.

Angola, Chad, Namibia and Zimbabwe entered the war on the DRC government side, and Uganda and Burundi sent troops to back rebels.

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