By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The Presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda have held direct conversations in Qatar, where both leaders called for an “immediate ceasefire” in the eastern region of DR Congo.
Félix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, met on Tuesday for the first time since Rwanda-backed M23 rebels stepped up their offensive in the region, where it has been reported that nearly 7,000 people have been killed since January.
The face-to-face meeting of both leaders took place on the same day that M23 was to meet with a DRC delegation in Angola. However, 24 hours before the meeting, the group pulled out, citing sanctions by the European Union. It is not clear if the rebels will respect the ceasefire deal.
Apart from the DRC, the UN and the US have also alleged that Rwanda is providing logistical support to the M23 and sending troops to assist the rebels in launching attacks in eastern Congo, an allegation Kigali denied at the time. Rwanda later stated that its involvement in the fighting was to ensure that the violence did not escalate to its territory.
The DRC also accuses Rwanda of illegally exploiting its mineral resources in the east of the country, which Rwanda also denies.
Last December, peace talks brokered by Angola collapsed after Rwanda demanded that the DR Congo government engage directly with the M23.
The rebel group then advanced swiftly, taking control of two key cities, Goma and Bukavu, over the past two months.
According to a joint statement released by Qatar’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, the two African presidents reaffirmed their commitment to an “immediate and unconditional” ceasefire, but it was not clear how that would be implemented or monitored.
“The heads of state then agreed on the need to continue the discussions initiated in Doha in order to establish solid foundations for lasting peace,” it added.
The meeting of the two leaders came as a surprise to many, as they have taken a firm stand against negotiating, instead exchanging tantrums on social media.
While confirming the talks in the Qatari capital, the Rwandan presidency insisted in a separate statement that direct talks between the DR Congo government and M23 were “key to addressing the root causes of the conflict”.
President Kagame expressed his belief that with “all parties working together, things can move forward faster”.
DR Congo presidential spokeswoman Tina Salama said on X that the talks were initiated by the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, describing the Gulf nation as a “strategic ally of the two African countries”.
In a presidential statement, the Congolese government said the meeting marked the first step towards establishing a basis for lasting peace in the volatile east, hinting at further talks.
The conflict between the DRC and the Tutsi-led M23 is rooted in the spillover into Congo of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide and the struggle for control of Congo’s vast mineral resources.
It escalated significantly this year, with M23 gaining ground it had never controlled before, including eastern Congo’s two biggest cities and several smaller localities, amid waning regional support for the DRC.
