President Paul Kagame and his counterparts, including Félix Antoine Tshisekedi of the DR Congo, William Ruto of Kenya, João Lourenço of Angola, and Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, met and discussed the long-standing insecurity in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The meeting was held on Friday, February 16, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where they attended the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union.
The Congolese Security Conference is organized by the African Union Peace and Security Council.
The President of Angola, João Lourenço, who has been a mediator in the Congo problem for a long time, said, “The purpose of this meeting is to look at how to stop fighting between the RDC Army and the M23 group, and how to have dialogue between them and mediate between President Paul Kagame and President Tshisekedi.”
This meeting is taking place at a time when tension between Rwanda and DRC is increasing. It is a conflict caused by the DRC accusing Rwanda of supporting the M23 fighters, but Rwanda denies it.
It also happens at a time when fighting between the M23 and the RDC forces has escalated, as SADC troops, including South Africa and Tanzania armies, come to support the DR Congo army, FARDC.
The Heads of State met a few days after the Government of Rwanda expressed to the United Nations Security Council its concern over the cooperation of the South African Army, SADC, and armed groups including the FDLR, with plans to undermine its security.
This is the message contained in the letter of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Dr Vincent Biruta, to the President of this council, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, on February 13, 2024.
Minister Biruta pointed out that the troops in the South African mission are biased in favor of the DR Congo, and that this cooperation could increase the war in the region and worsen the situation.