East African leaders called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and urged the Kinshasa government to engage directly with all stakeholders, including the M23 rebel group, to resolve the escalating conflict.
It was resolved at a special virtual summit of the East African Community (EAC) hosted by Kenya and attended by Rwandan President Paul Kagame but skipped by his Congolese counterpart Felix Tshisekedi.
The 24th EAC leaders’ summit expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation in the Congolese city of Goma, which has led to a significant loss of life and a worsening humanitarian crisis.
“The summit called on all parties to the conflict in eastern DRC to cease hostilities and observe an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and facilitate humanitarian access to the affected population,” the leaders stated in their communique.
Congo’s President Tshisekedi instead flew to Angola for talks with his counterpart Joao Lourenco as the EAC heads of state met virtually over the security situation in Goma.
The summit also condemned attacks on diplomatic missions in Kinshasa, urging the Congolese government to ensure the protection of embassies, diplomatic staff, and property.
Acknowledging the role of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in addressing the crisis, the EAC heads of state agreed to hold a joint summit with SADC leaders in the coming days.
European mercenaries to be deported via Rwanda
Nearly 300 European mercenaries who were allegedly fighting in Congo were set to be deported to their countries of origin through neighboring Rwanda.
The group of 280, mostly from Romania, secured safe passage after their governments asked Rwanda to facilitate their evacuation through Kigali, Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe said in a post on X.
Kagame also accused South African officials, including President Cyril Ramaphosa, of distorting their recent discussions on the conflict in eastern Congo.
“What has been said about these conversations in the media by South African officials and President Ramaphosa himself contains a lot of distortion, deliberate attacks, and even lies,” he said.
Kagame also rejected the presence of the Southern African Development Community Mission in Congo, arguing that it is not a peacekeeping force but a “belligerent force engaging in offensive combat operations to help the DRC government fight against its own people.”
“If South Africa wants to contribute to peaceful solutions, that is well and good. … And if South Africa prefers confrontation, Rwanda will deal with the matter in that context any day,” the Rwandan president warned.
