Wider Region Update: US Sec. of State discusses DR Congo peace with regional leaders

Turning to the wider region surrounding northern Uganda (as we do each Wednesday), the biggest news of the week is U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice's visit today to the region. Meeting with presidents of Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, Rice called on leaders of the Great Lakes Region to defuse tensions in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Rice listed three areas of agreement between the leaders, including the "rapid strengthening" of security forces in Congo, reiteration of a commitment not to "harbor negative forces" and a recommitment to previous agreements. The talks came as Congo's army fought on Wednesday with a renegade Tutsi general's forces, the latest in a series of battles this week. BBC News reports that the DRC military says it has taken control of the rebel stronghold town of Mushake. Yet, the World Food Programme has been forced to suspend aid to the region because of the fighting, leaving some 300,000 recently displaced people without food.