
Rwanda has expressed its support for a proposed joint regional summit aimed at addressing the escalating conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The M23 rebel group, accused by the United Nations and several nations of being backed by Rwanda, has made significant territorial advances in eastern DRC.
The group captured the major city of Goma and has vowed to continue its march toward the capital.
This escalation marks a troubling new chapter in a conflict-ridden region, where decades of fighting have been fueled by various armed groups.
The situation has prompted urgent responses from regional blocs, who have held emergency summits to discuss the growing tensions.
On Friday, the 16-nation South African Development Community (SADC) called for a summit with the East African Community, a bloc of eight nations, to discuss the security situation in the DRC.
Rwanda’s foreign ministry quickly welcomed the proposal, stressing its long-standing advocacy for a political solution to the ongoing conflict.
While Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame did not attend the SADC summit—since Rwanda is not a member of the bloc—Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi joined the session virtually.
The summit followed the tragic deaths of soldiers from South Africa and Malawi, both part of the SADC peacekeeping force, SAMIDRC, who were killed in the fighting around Goma.
In a statement, Rwanda’s foreign ministry criticized the presence of peacekeepers in the DRC, claiming they have exacerbated the existing problems.
Although Rwanda denies direct military support to the M23, a UN report last year revealed that Rwanda may have up to 4,000 troops in the region.
Rwanda accuses the DRC of harboring the FDLR, a group responsible for the 1994 Rwandan genocide.