By John Ikani
The President of Democratic Republic of Congo has warned that his country could be on the brink of a war with Rwanda amid worsening relations between the two neighbours.
“This possibility cannot be ruled out. If Rwanda’s provocation continues, we will not sit and do nothing about it. We are not weak,” Félix Tshisekedi told UK newspaper Financial Times in an interview.
He accused Rwanda of backing the M23 rebel group and also of having “illicit vested economic interests in the DRC.”
Mr Tshisekedi is set to meet his Rwanda counterpart Paul Kagame on Wednesday in Angola.
The Congolese leader told FT ahead of the meeting that Mr Kagame should show “sincerity” in discussions and admit that his government was backing M23 rebels whose activities, among other groups, have destabilised mineral-rich eastern DR Congo.
Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame has repeatedly rejected the accusations.
He said on Monday that the ongoing crisis was an internal DR Congo matter and his country was not involved.
