KINSHASA, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- An extraordinary mini-summit on the security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is scheduled for late Friday in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, ahead of the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU), according to the DRC government.
DRC President Felix Tshisekedi is expected to attend the mini-summit held late Friday, announced the DRC presidential office via X, formerly Twitter, after his arrival in Addis Ababa, with the attendance of Tanzania, South Sudan, Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Burundi, Malawi, and Equatorial Guinea.
Tina Salama, spokesperson for President Tshisekedi, said earlier Friday via X that the mini-summit is convened by Angolan President Joao Lourenco, the designated mediator, on the peace and security situation prevailing in the eastern DRC.
The security situation remains volatile around Goma, the capital of the DRC's eastern province of North Kivu, due to ongoing fighting between the army and rebels of the March 23 Movement (M23), as the latter has launched multiple offensives since last week. ■