Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma says the signing of a peace charter for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the region has presented an opportunity to bring about stability in the war-torn region.
He was speaking at a ceremony to mark the signing of Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Great Lakes Region in Ethiopia. The African Union and the United Nations joined hands to facilitate the signing of the framework which sets out a list of commitments to achieve peace.
“The Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Region is yet another opportunity to comprehensively deal with the complexities facing the DRC and the region,” Zuma said.
But he conceded that the framework in itself did not provide all the answers.
“It is an instrument that points the government of the DRC, its immediate neighbours and the international community in a direction that will take this country out of the current morass. It's success will depend on the commitment and ultimately the concrete actions taken by all the parties to it, to interpret and implement it to its fullest noble intention”.
Zuma hailed the commitment of the international community to walk alongside the DRC and its neighours on a path of peace and stability.
He said “a heavy burden” of responsibility falls on the government of the DRC and its neighbours to implement the plan.
“Theirs is the historic task of freeing the people of the DRC and the region from its tortuous history of conflict and instability, and to introduce a new future offering democracy, peace, stability, progress and prosperity,” Zuma said.
He said South Africa was committed to partnering with the government and people of the DRC as they respond to the urgent challenges of development.
“We believe that only a comprehensive political solution would form the basis of lasting peace in the eastern DRC." – SAnews.gov.za
