Members voted as one. 178 votes for, no abstentions or votes once morest. In an Assembly largely dominated by the ruling MPLA party, the result is unsurprising. The Angolan contingent should have around 500 men, as well as air assets, without further details.
With a budget of 20.7 million euros, the mandate of the Angolans must last one year, renewable ” if it is justified “, said Friday the Minister of State and Head of the Military House of the Angolan President. Francisco Furtado said the mission would not participate in combat or be involved in direct military operations. The soldiers will mainly have to secure the cantonment areas of the M23 and protect the teams responsible for monitoring compliance with the ceasefire.
The minister justified the sending of these men by the risks of destabilization of Angola, which shares 2,524 km of border. He reminded MPs that in 2016, 30,000 Congolese fled to Angola, “ with consequences for society and the local economy “. Francisco Furtado said he feared the exodus ” one million Congolese refugees if the situation escalated.
The Angolans are very involved in the Congolese crisis. Luanda has taken on the role of mediator, notably between the DRC and Rwanda, which accuse each other of border violations. An Angolan officer has been appointed to head the mechanism responsible for verifying these allegations.
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