DRC, Rwanda Presidents Meet, Call for Ceasefire Amid Escalating Conflict
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame held direct talks in Doha, Qatar, for the first time since Rwanda-backed M23 rebels seized two major cities in eastern DRC, further escalating tensions in the region, as per Al Jazeera.
The meeting, mediated by the Emir of Qatar, resulted in a joint statement calling for an “immediate ceasefire” in eastern DRC. The DRC has repeatedly accused Rwanda of providing weapons and troops to support the M23 rebels, allegations that Rwanda has consistently denied.
The talks were prompted by escalating violence and came after M23 representatives withdrew from a planned meeting with the DRC government in Angola following the European Union’s imposition of sanctions on several senior M23 members, including leader Bertrand Bisimwa. M23 stated that the sanctions “seriously compromise direct dialogue and prevent any advance.”
The EU sanctions also targeted three Rwandan military commanders and the head of Rwanda’s mining agency over their alleged support for the M23 fighters.
The conflict in eastern DRC intensified in January when the M23 rebels advanced, seizing the strategic city of Goma, followed by Bukavu in February. M23 is one of approximately 100 armed groups vying for control in the mineral-rich eastern DRC near the border with Rwanda.
The ongoing conflict has fueled a severe humanitarian crisis, with more than 7 million people displaced, making it one of the largest displacement crises in the world.
According to United Nations experts, the M23 rebels are supported by an estimated 4,000 Rwandan troops.
