Luanda — The Joint Report and Draft Resolution on the sending of an Angolan military contingent to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as part of the Peacekeeping Force, were approved on Wednesday by the National Assembly.

The documents were approved with 31 votes in favour, none against and no abstention by the MPs of the parliament commissions for Constitutional and Legal Affairs; Security, Internal Order, Former Combatants and Homeland Veterans; and Foreign Relations, International Cooperation and Angolan Communities Abroad.

The Request for Authorization to the President of the Republic on sending a Military Contingent from the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) of the Peacekeeping and Support Operations Component aims to ensure the process of cantonment of the M23 military forces in the east region of the DRC.

Speaking at the session of Parliament, the minister of State and Head of the Office for Military Affairs of the President of the Republic, Francisco Pereira Furtado, said that this need arises due from the fact that the DRC Armed Forces and M23 rebel movement are belligerent, as the mediation mechanism is responsible for the security and stability of the cantonment areas.

In general, the objective of the Angolan mission will be to adopt the general joint plan for the resolution of the crisis in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), speed up the effective implementation of the Luanda Roadmap in coordination with the Nairobi process to promote security in the DRC eastern region and to normalize the political and diplomatic relations with the Republic of Rwanda.

The Angolan contingent, which according to the work committees is due to remain in the neighbouring country for 12 months, will be made up of a FAA battalion and its components, as well as financial resources estimated at over 11 billion million kwanzas, which are to be reallocated within the framework of the Defence and Security sector budget.