President Kagame receives AU Commissioner for peace and security

President Kagame today received in his office the AU Commissioner for Peace and Security, Amb. Ramtane Lamamra. He is in the country to seek Rwanda’s view on finding a solution to the Eastern DR Congo crisis and to discuss cooperation between Rwanda, the AU and the Peace and Security Commission, given Rwanda’s new role as a non permanent member of the UN Security Council.

Speaking to the Press after meeting President Kagame, Amb. Ramtane Lamamra said:

“We had a very interesting discussion with the President on issues related to the crises around the continent but especially in the Great Lakes Region. The Congo problem needs a realistic approach in order to solve it. To avoid a recurrence, the Congo problem must be tackled from the root cause. This visit has given me a deeper insight into what the Congo problem really is. This issue will be thoroughly discussed during the upcoming AU Summit.”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Louise Mushikiwabo said the fact that the AU Commissioner for peace and security is visiting shows that the AU is keen of finding a lasting solution to the conflict in Congo. She said that since the problems in Congo have been there for a long time, this calls for a deliberate approach to deal with the causes and not symptoms.