Rwanda has welcomed a proposal for high-level talks between two African regional blocs as conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) escalates.
Fighters from the M23 rebel group have taken control of Goma, a major city in eastern DRC, and signalled their intention to advance toward the capital, Kinshasa.
The crisis, unfolding in a region long plagued by armed conflicts, has prompted urgent discussions among African leaders.
The 16-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) has called for a joint summit with the eight-nation East African Community (EAC) to assess the worsening security situation.
Rwanda’s foreign ministry responded positively to the proposal, stating that it has always advocated for a political resolution to the crisis.
Recent emergency meetings have highlighted divisions between key players.
Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi joined the SADC summit virtually, but Rwandan President Paul Kagame, whose country is not part of the bloc, did not attend.
Conversely, Kagame participated in an EAC gathering earlier in the week, which Tshisekedi skipped.
Tensions have surged following the deaths of South African and Malawian troops stationed in Goma under the SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC).
Rwanda has criticized the force’s presence, arguing that its deployment has aggravated rather than alleviated the situation.
While Rwanda denies backing M23 militarily, a UN report last year estimated that Kigali had roughly 4,000 troops in eastern DRC and suggested that it exerted direct influence over the rebel group.
At the same time, Rwanda has accused the DRC of aiding the FDLR, an armed group with links to the perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
The humanitarian toll is growing, with the UN reporting that an additional 500,000 people have been displaced by the latest fighting in a region already struggling with mass displacement.
