Will the Goma Peace Agreement Bring Peace to the Eastern Part of the Democratic Republic of Congo?
The long awaited conference to bring peace to the eastern DRC started officially on 5 January 2008. This conference took place against the background of a surge in violence, particularly in North Kivu, between the FARDC, CNDP and the various Mai-Mai groups. The failure of the October military campaign to forcefully disarm the combatants of Nkunda, and the humanitarian crises that followed, left the government of the DRC with no option other than to bring the parties together and attempt to solve the problems through negotiation. During the planning phase of the conference the issue of the role of Nkunda was of some concern. He was not invited, but members of the CNDP were. Surprisingly Nkunda gave his blessing to the conference and gave a mandate to the CNDP representatives to negotiate on his behalf. He also undertook to stop all fighting while the conference was ongoing, a goal he achieved with some degree of success. Key to the conference was an address made by the the Spokesperson
