KAMPALA, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has said he is ready to mediate efforts to end the conflict between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) government and the March 23 Movement (M23) rebels.
John Mulimba, Uganda's minister of state for foreign affairs in charge of regional cooperation, told lawmakers on Wednesday that the president is available to support a peaceful resolution to the hostilities between the two warring parties.
Fighting between M23 rebels and the Congolese army has reached Goma, the capital of the DRC's North Kivu province, with the rebels declaring the capture of the city and several key installations.
"President Museveni and the government of Uganda remain available to participate in regional peace initiatives to ensure the cessation of hostilities as soon as possible," Mulimba said.
He said the conflict in the central African country and the Great Lakes region in general cannot be resolved through military means.
Uganda continues to monitor the security situation in the Great Lakes region while taking into account the importance of ongoing bilateral arrangements with the DRC government, Mulimba said.
The African Union on Tuesday condemned the violence in the eastern DRC, calling on the M23 to "lay down" its arms.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday expressed deep concern over the escalating violence in the eastern DRC, urging the M23 to immediately cease all hostile actions and withdraw from occupied areas.
More than 400,000 people have been displaced since the start of 2025 in the eastern DRC, according to the UN. ■