Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe announced on Saturday that the Congolese Foreign Minister refused to sign a crucial deal addressing the M23 rebel conflict.
This conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has displaced over 1.7 million people since the Tutsi-led M23 insurgency began in 2022.
Congo, supported by the United Nations, accuses Rwanda of backing the M23 with troops and weapons.
Rwanda denies these allegations and claims to have taken defensive measures against a Hutu rebel group, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).
Negotiations held in late August aimed to ease the conflict have heightened concerns about a broader regional crisis.
Nduhungirehe revealed that delegates, including Congo’s military intelligence chief, had agreed on a plan to neutralize the FDLR.
This agreement was set to be finalized on September 14 but was rejected by the Congolese minister after initial approval. Nduhungirehe emphasized that the Congolese objections focused on the sequencing of military actions.
A Congolese government spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment. Leaders Felix Tshisekedi of Congo and Paul Kagame of Rwanda attended a summit in France, where French President Emmanuel Macron encouraged dialogue between the two nations.
