AMECEA Bishops Appeal for Long-Term Solution to Great Lakes Region Conflicts amid Protracted DR Congo Crisis

Kinshasa, 11 February, 2025 / 3:05 PM

The Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) is appealing to leaders to find ways to deal with the instability in the Great Lakes region for good as war rages on in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

In a statement shared with ACI Africa on Tuesday, February 11, AMECEA leadership weighs in on the conflicts in the four countries that make up the Great Lakes region, including DRC, Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda.

The crisis that continues to rock DRC has been attributed to the invasion of the mineral-rich country by her neighbours in the Great Lakes region.

In the statement, the Chairman of AMECEA, Bishop Charles Sampa Kasonde appeals for dialogue in the region to not only end the violence that resulted in the January 27 takeover of Goma city in DRC by the Rwandan-backed March 23 Movement (M23) rebels, but also to ensure that calm returns to the wider region.

“As AMECEA, we firmly believe in the power of dialogue, compassion, and collective effort,” Bishop Kasonde said.

He added, “We urge regional leaders not only to respond to the immediate crisis but also to commit to long-term peacebuilding, justice, and reconciliation across the Great Lakes region. Through your dedication and decisive action, we trust that the suffering of the people of the DRC will come to an end, allowing peace to flourish once again.”

On February 8, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC) convened a summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to discuss the conflict in Eastern DRC.

At the summit, leaders of the regional blocs urged all warring parties to hold peace talks within five days, including with the M23 rebels.

Nearly 3,000 people have been killed since January 27 when M23 rebels reportedly captured the city of Goma.

In the AMECEA statement, Bishop Kasonde expresses solidarity with the victims of the ongoing conflict in DRC, saying, “We, the members of AMECEA, stand in unwavering solidarity with you during this painful and challenging time.”

“Our hearts go out to all who have lost loved ones, those who have been displaced, and all who continue to endure the tragic consequences of this conflict. In a special way, we remember the most vulnerable-children, elderly and the injured in our prayers,” he says.

On behalf of AMECEA member Bishops, the Local Ordinary of Zambia’s Solwezi Diocese assures the affected individuals of their love, compassion and solidarity. “During this time of suffering, we are reminded of our shared humanity and the divine truth that we are all created in the image of God,” he says. 

Bishop Kasonde further appeals to the SADC and the EAC to intensify their efforts in restoring calm in DRC to stop the people’s suffering.

“Those suffering in the DRC need your unwavering commitment to peace, stability, and the protection of human dignity,” the Chairman of AMECEA says in his address to the two regional blocs, and urges the international leaders to “prioritize the protection of human rights, ensuring that the dignity of every individual is upheld amid the violence.”

He calls for measures to ensure the displaced and vulnerable are well taken care of by providing humanitarian aid in collaboration with the faith based and international organizations.

Bishop Kasonde encourages SADC and EAC leaders to foster dialogue between the two conflicting parties to find the main cause of the conflict to foster long lasting peace.

In an interview with ACI Africa, Br. Adolphe Mulengezi Mihingano of the Institute of the Consolata Missionaries (IMC) said that the violence in Eastern DRC, his native country, is rooted in “a complex” web of factors, including foreign interference and resource exploitation.

In the February 6 interview, the native of Goma acknowledged with appreciation what the Church is doing to support victims of the violence. He said, “The Church plays a fundamental role assisting the populations affected by the crisis in Goma. The Catholic and Protestant Churches have expressed their willingness to open a dialogue including the M23 in order to promote a peaceful solution to the crisis.”

Sabrine Amboka contributed to this story.