The Democratic Republic of Congo has raised serious concerns regarding Rwanda’s role in obstructing negotiations aimed at resolving the protracted M23 rebel conflict in eastern Congo, which has resulted in the displacement of over 1.7 million individuals. During a recent address to the U.N. Security Council, Congolese Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner expressed her government’s frustrations, emphasizing that Rwanda’s actions have come in the wake of accusations from Rwandan officials about Congo’s reluctance to sign an agreement reached in late August through mediation by Angola.
The Tutsi-led M23 group has been actively engaged in an insurgency in eastern Congo since 2022, contributing to a complex humanitarian crisis in the region. Congo, backed by various international observers, has accused Rwanda of providing military assistance to the M23, a claim that Rwanda has consistently and vehemently denied. In its defense, Rwanda asserts that it has only taken defensive measures to protect its own interests and accuses Congo of cooperating with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a Hutu rebel group known for carrying out attacks against Tutsis in both nations.
In a tentative agreement brokered during the peace talks, both parties acknowledged the need for Congo to “neutralize” the FDLR while Rwanda would withdraw its forces from the region. However, Wagner pointed out that despite Congo’s readiness to outline its commitments in the agreement, Rwanda has only provided vague assurances of withdrawal without any concrete details or guarantees regarding its actions. She underscored that Rwanda’s withdrawal has been made conditional on Congo first addressing the FDLR issue, further complicating the negotiation process.
“For this process to be effective, both elements must be executed in parallel,” Wagner emphasized, highlighting the importance of coordinated actions from both sides. Additional sticking points in the negotiations include Rwanda’s refusal to accept any clauses in the peace agreement that would acknowledge its responsibility in the ongoing conflict and Congo’s insistence on establishing a regional justice mechanism to address the underlying issues.
The ongoing discussions are being held in Luanda, Angola, as part of a broader initiative aimed at de-escalating tensions between the two neighboring countries. An Angolan representative has indicated that the next ministerial meeting is expected to take place in Luanda within the next few days, aiming to foster progress toward a resolution and bring an end to the violence affecting the region.
