Congo And Rwanda Leaders Call For Ceasefire In Eastern Congo

Presidents Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Paul Kagame of Rwanda demanded a “immediate and unconditional” ceasefire in eastern Congo on Tuesday. They had not met since January, when the M23 insurgents stepped up their onslaught in the area.

The joint statement with Qatar, whose emir arranged the summit in Doha, did not say whether the call would stop the M23 insurgents, who now hold more land in eastern Congo than ever before, including the two biggest towns in the area.

Congo claims that Rwanda helped the rebels by sending troops and supplying weapons, which resulted in the worst fighting in decades in eastern Congo.

Rwanda maintains that its forces are acting in self-defense against the Congo’s army and militias that are hostile to Kigali.

Efforts by neighboring countries to broker a ceasefire have been ongoing, but a planned meeting in Angola on Tuesday that aimed to bring Congo’s government and M23 leaders together was unsuccessful after M23 withdrew on Monday afternoon.

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At the Doha meeting, Tshisekedi and Kagame “agreed on the need to continue the discussions initiated in Doha to establish solid foundations for lasting peace,” according to the joint statement.

A diplomat briefed on the talks described the meeting as “informal” and “not meant to replace any existing efforts.”

The conflict in eastern Congo stems from the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide and competition for valuable mineral resources. It has escalated dramatically since January, resulting in thousands of deaths and the displacement of hundreds of thousands.

Qatar has recently acted as a mediator in several conflicts, including working with Egypt and the US to negotiate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, which broke down earlier on Tuesday.

Congolese analyst Bob Kabamba of the University of Liege in Belgium said Qatar’s close relationship with Rwanda made it difficult for Kagame to decline the invitation to Tuesday’s meeting, a fact that Tshisekedi would likely have recognized.

“Developments on the ground are making things difficult for Felix Tshisekedi. He needs to find a solution,” Kabamba added.

Source: The EastAfrican