Paris, France – Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe has accused the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) of refusing to sign an agreed-upon deal aimed at resolving the ongoing M23 rebel conflict in the eastern region of the country. The conflict, which has displaced over 1.7 million people, has been a major humanitarian crisis in the region.
The Tutsi-led M23 rebel group has been active in eastern DRC since 2022, and both Congo and the United Nations have accused Rwanda of supporting the group with troops and weapons. Rwanda denies these allegations, claiming to have taken defensive measures and accusing Congo of fighting alongside the Hutu rebel group, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).
In an effort to ease the conflict, both countries participated in negotiations in late August. A plan to neutralize the FDLR and lift Rwanda’s defense measures was agreed upon by delegates, including Congo’s head of military intelligence. However, the Congolese foreign minister refused to sign the deal, citing objections to the timing of the actions.
The plan proposed that the actions against the FDLR would take place first, followed a few days later by Rwanda easing its defense measures. The Congolese minister, however, insisted that both actions should happen simultaneously.
A spokesperson for the Congolese government has not yet responded to requests for comment on the matter.
The leaders of both countries, Felix Tshisekedi of Congo and Paul Kagame of Rwanda, were present at a summit of French-speaking countries in France. French President Emmanuel Macron had proposed a three-way meeting between the two leaders, but they ultimately opted for separate private audiences with him.
