Regional summit calls for ceasefire

The heads of state of seven Central African nations, meeting in the Cameroonian capital Yaounde yesterday (Thursday), called for a ceasefire in the DRC conflict and the withdrawal of all foreign troops from the country, Reuters reported. It said the summit called on the country’s leaders to pursue dialogue and accelerate the democratic process, warning that the conflict threatened peace and stability across Africa. The regional meeting was attended by the heads of state of DRC, Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Sao Tome and Principe and Cameroon, as well as the Gabonese vice-president, Rwanda’s foreign minister and the prime minister of Equatorial Guinea. Meanwhile, mediator President Frederick Chiluba of Zambia was planning to hold talks with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in Kampala over the weekend as part of continuing diplomatic efforts to end the DRC conflict, AFP said.