The sending of the Angolan military contingent to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will take place when there are guarantees of creating conditions in the cantonment areas, said this Saturday in Luanda, the Minister of State and Head of the Military House of the President of the Republic, Francisco Stolen.
The minister was speaking to the press as part of a visit of a few hours by the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Félix Tshisekedi, who met with the Angolan Head of State, João Lourenço.
The Congolese statesman has already returned to his country.
According to Francisco Furtado, a delegation from the Ad hoc Mechanism, comprising officers from the General Staff of the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA), is visiting the planned areas this Saturday, to confirm the existence of conditions.
“We think that at the beginning of next week we will have the report from this mechanism, so that we can eventually predict an exact date for the beginning of the engagement of our contingent in the mission in the East Region of the Democratic Republic of Congo”, he said.
According to Francisco Furtado, the creation will allow, in fact, within a reasonable period, the positions to be in conditions to continue the process of engagement of the Ad hoc Mechanism, as well as the movement of the contingent to the DRC.
At first, he continued, the areas are defined, according to the contacts maintained with the Government of the DRC and with the direction of the M23.
He stressed that, according to the planned contingent, two areas were defined that could be subdivided into zones, for the quartering of the military and for the reception of the civilian population, with emphasis on the relatives of the M23 military and other civilian citizens who are with the aforementioned movement.
“Only today, work began with this ad hoc mechanism commission, coordinated by Angola, and which also includes official representatives from Rwanda, which will make it possible to certify that the two areas are in a position to move staff and to prepare the schedule of activities after the creation of conditions in these quartering areas”, he underlined.
Regarding the meeting between the Presidents of Angola and the DRC, he considered it very positive, since it resulted from agreements regarding the confirmation of this country in the commitment to create conditions for the quartering areas.
cessation of hostilities
As for the situation on the ground, Francisco Furtado made it known that the Government of the DRC continues to be concerned about the need for engagement by all parties (Congo, Rwanda and M23), in complying with the cessation of hostilities.
“In practice, there is a stoppage of hostilities on the ground, but this stoppage must be total, avoiding movement of forces from one side to another”, he explained.
Recently approved by the National Assembly of Angola, the Angolan contingent, estimated at between 450 and 500 men, should remain in the DRC for 12 months.
It will be made up of a battalion of the Angolan Armed Forces and respective components, whose financial means are estimated at AOA 11,266 million and 872,000 kwanzas, which should be reallocated within the budget of the Defense and Security sector. NE/OHA/ADR
