The Mozambican President, Armando Guebuza, arrived in Rwanda shortly before noon today as part of regional efforts to try and resolve the unrest in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Mozambican President Armando Guebuza on arrival at Kigali International Airport today, where he was received by the Minister of Local Government James Musoni (R). The New Times Timothy Kisambira

Guebuza, who makes the trip is his capacity as Chairperson of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), told the media recently that the visit would help him better understand the conflict between the Congo government and the M23 rebels, who mutinied in April after the collapse of a 2009 peace deal between then CNDP rebels and Kinshasa.

The 32nd SADC Summit of the Heads of State and Government, held in Maputo, Mozambique, on August 17-18, mandated the newly elected SADC Chairperson, Guebuza, to undertake a mission to Rwanda to engage Kigali “to stop military support to armed rebels in the DRC, the so-called M23.”

Rwanda has strenuously denied any links with the rebels, allegations which were first made by a UN Group of Experts on the Congo.

At the Kigali International Airport, President Guebuza was received by the Minister of Local Government James Musoni.

Speaking to The New Times, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mary Baine said; “He is in Rwanda to voice SADC’s opinion over the eastern DRC problem and to discuss how regional countries can provide a solution to the DRC problem.”

SADC is composed of 15 countries namely; Angola, Botswana, DRC, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia and Seychelles. Others are South Africa, Swaziland, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Five of them namely; Angola, DRC, Tanzania and Zambia are part of another regional grouping, the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), composed of eleven countries, including Rwanda.

The ICGLR has taken steps to help resolve the crisis, with five high-profile meetings, including two for Heads of State and Government, resulting in a plan to deploy a neutral African force to help pacify eastern DRC.

The M23 rebels, who have seized several strategic towns and villages in the North Kivu province, have offered peace talks but Kinshasa has ruled out such talks.

By Edwin Musoni, The New Times