DRC resources belong to her people, recognise that – Ruto

President William Ruto has called on world leaders to recognise and acknowledge that the resources of the DRC belong to her people.

Speaking during the 20th Extra-Ordinary Summit of EAC Heads of State in Bujumbura, Ruto said the international community owed it to the Congo to honoUr her resource sovereignty.

"It is time for the world to recognise the obvious: the resources of the DRC belong to the people of the DRC, and that global demand for these resources must enhance their well-being and not inflict misery on them," he said.

The president pointed out that there was a direct relationship between slavery and colonialism in Africa and industrial revolution in the West.

He said the trend of the West to benefit from conflict and human suffering was a thing of the past.

Ruto further called upon the East African Community leaders to urgently address the ongoing conflict in the DRC.

He took the opportunity to call for an immediate convening of the Nairobi-IV session of the Inter-Congolese Consultations as a follow up on Nairobi-III.

"There is a role for concerted multilateral collective action on this matter and we must not waste this opportunity," he said.

The Summit was chaired by the host, President Évariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi.

In attendance were Presidents Samia Suluhu (Tanzania), Félix Tshisekedi (DRC), Paul Kagame (Rwanda), Yoweri Museveni (Uganda) and a representative of Salva Kiir of South Sudan.