two-day Defence Experts Working Group on the security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (E/DRC) concluded today at the Humanitarian Peace Support School (HPSS) in Nairobi, Kenya. Convened from February 19 to 20, the meeting brought together military representatives from all East African Community (EAC) member states to address mounting security challenges and prepare recommendations for the upcoming Chiefs of Defence Staff meeting.
Rwanda’s delegation was led by Brigadier General Patrick Karuretwa, the Director General of IMC. Participants focused on strategies to strengthen regional cooperation, enhance peacekeeping operations, and improve humanitarian support for communities affected by ongoing conflict.
The discussions took place against the backdrop of renewed tensions in the E/DRC, where M23 rebels—having captured Goma, Bukavu, Kamanyola, and several smaller villages—are now hovering around Uvira. Their rapid advance has further complicated the security landscape and underscored the urgency of coordinated action among EAC member states.
With the Defence Experts Working Group now concluded, attention turns to the forthcoming Chiefs of Defence Staff meeting, where officials are expected to refine and endorse proposals aimed at curbing the M23 and seeking alternative solutions to the FARDC’s crimes against people of eastern DRC.