Report

Eight criteria for Congo peace

Top of the agenda of the annual heads of government summit of SADC has been the faltering peace process to end the year-long and ongoing war in the DRC. A number of problems must be addressed if calm is to prevail. First there is a need for the factions to agree on the entente, secondly SA has to learn to speak a language that all the actors can understand, thirdly a process of national dialogue will have to be cemented involving all the main players in the Congo. Fourthly leadership structure will have to provide reassurance to neighbouring states, fifthly to provide sufficient peacekeeping forces, sixth to establish parallel inclusive settlements in neighbouring countries, seventh, Western nations will have to cut the new Congolese leadership some slack and lastly the international community will have to provide electoral support.