Rwanda: President Kagame to meet DRC’s Tshisekedi amid Eastern Congo crisis

In a significant diplomatic development, Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame has agreed to engage in talks with his Democratic Republic of the Congo counterpart, Felix Tshisekedi, to address the escalating crisis in eastern Congo.

The announcement was made by the Angolan government following a crucial meeting in Luanda between President Kagame, Angolan President João Lourenço, and the African Union’s mediator in the DR Congo crisis.

Angola’s Foreign Minister, Tete Antonio, briefed the press after the meeting, stating, “It was decided that President Kagame would agree to meet President Tshisekedi on a date to be indicated by the mediator.” The commitment was made as both Rwanda and the DR Congo expressed their willingness to convene the meeting, with ministerial delegations from both nations actively working towards the proposed plan.

On this matter, Rwanda’s presidency communicated that the two leaders had “agreed on key steps towards addressing the root causes of the conflict.” The development comes in the wake of President Kagame’s visit to Angola, mirroring a previous visit by President Tshisekedi to Luanda last month, during which plans for the meeting were disclosed.

However, the path to these talks faced a hurdle as President Tshisekedi insisted on the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from Congolese territory before meeting President Kagame, according to the DR Congo presidency.

The ongoing crisis in eastern Congo, marked by intensified clashes between M23 rebels and Congolese forces, has forced over 100,000 people to flee their homes in recent weeks, as reported by the United Nations.

In response to the allegations made by DR Congo, accusing Rwanda of supporting M23 rebels, Kigali has vehemently denied any involvement.

The upcoming meeting between Presidents Kagame and Tshisekedi holds promise for diplomatic resolutions and addressing the underlying causes of the conflict in the region.