DRC conflict: Kagame, Ramaphosa clash as EAC calls on Tshisekedi to dialogue with M23

As the fighting in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo escalates, international pressure has been piling on Rwanda to withdraw its forces from Goma.

The latest is from the United Kingdom, which has threatened to withhold aid from the East African nation, which is accused of backing the M23 rebels that now controls much of Goma city, the largest in eastern DRC.

In a statement released UK Foreign Office, Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, warned that the crisis risks putting $1bn in aid to Rwanda ‘under threat’ over DRC invasion. 

Lammy made the direct warning in to President Kagame in a phone conversation who had been urged by U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, in a similar tough dialogue. 

“All of that is under threat when you attack your neighbours, and we are clear that we cannot have countries challenging the territorial integrity of other countries. Just as we will not tolerate it in the continent of Europe, we cannot tolerate it wherever in the world it happens. We have to be clear about that,” Lammy said.

The warning came as Kagame, in an unraveling moment, tore into South Africa’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, warning that South African troops had no place in the eastern DR Congo battlefield, adding he was ready to “deal” with any confrontation from Pretoria.

Ramaphosa had accused the M23 rebel group and the RDF of lodging an attack against the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC) and the SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC) – a peacekeeping unit, killing at least 13 South African soldiers.

“The attacks on peacekeepers resulted in the deaths of SAMIDRC members from other troop-contributing countries, namely, Malawi and Tanzania, as well as members of the UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) brigade,” said Ramaphosa. 

In his response, Kagame expressed disappointment in the South African President’s remarks dismissing that what Ramaphosa had reported was untrue, declaring SAMIDRC persona non-grata in the peacekeeping mission in DRC. 

“SAMIDRC is not a peacekeeping force, and it has no place in this situation. It was authorized by SADC as a belligerent force engaging in offensive combat operations to help the DRC Government fight against its own people, working alongside genocidal armed groups like FDLR which target Rwanda, while also threatening to take the war to Rwanda itself,” Kagame said. 

“And if South Africa prefers confrontation, Rwanda will deal with the matter in that context any day,” he added. 

The latest of Kagame’s sentiment further puts to question his commitment he had pledged earlier during a phone conversation with US secretary of state, Marco Rubio on Tuesday. 

He agreed “on the need to ensure a ceasefire in eastern DRC and address the root causes of the conflict once and for all.” 

Meanwhile, an emergency extraordinary meeting of East African Community (EAC) Heads of State Wednesday “strongly”  urged Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Felix Tshisekedi to directly dialogue with all the armed groups, including M23, to end the resurgent conflict that continuesto deepen in  the east of the mineral-rich country. 

The virtual summit, convened by EAC Chairperson President William Ruto, took place after a long day of speculation, with less clarity on its occurrence following his State visit to Cairo, Egypt. 

Ruto’s counterparts who heeded to the call included President Samia Suluhu Hassan (Tanzania), Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (Somalia), Evariste Ndashimiye (Burundi), Salva Kiir (South Sudan), Paul Kagame (Rwanda) and Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (Uganda). 

“The summit called on all parties to the conflict in eastern DRC to cease hostilities and observe immediate and unconditional ceasefire and facilitate humanitarian access to the affected population,” a communique shared after the meeting stated.

Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni, agreed with the call saying “Tshisekedi should engage in dialogue with his armed opponents” even as he implored EAC to convene a meeting with  Southern African Development Community (SADC) to “seek a lasting solution to this situation.” 

And about the attack on diplomatic embassies in Kinshasa, the summit “accordingly urged the government of DRC to protect diplomatic missions, lives and property.”

This week, however, Rwandan-backed M23 rebels seized the city of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, in the latest escalation of a conflict that has displaced more than 1 million since its recent resurgence.

The World Health Organisation, warned of “a public health nightmare” the situation in Goma as hospitals remain overstretched with patients suffering gunshot wounds. 

Although UN agencies reported “relative calm” on Wednesday in the city of Goma, humanitarian agencies warned that the chaos caused by advancing M23 rebel forces could fuel a regional health emergency.

The 16-nation SADC has also announced plans to hold a special summit on the crisis on Friday in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare. 

Angola, which has mediated a ceasefire between the DRC army and M23 in the past, has also called for the Congolese and Rwandan leaders to meet urgently in Luanda.

This even as heated exchange continues among leaders involved in the conflicts, further creating a negligible chance of bringing the conflict to an end. 

Tshisekedi has vowed a “vigorous” military response against Rwandan-backed fighters who have advanced further in the mineral-rich east of the country after seizing most of the region’s main city.

He has, however, blasted the “silence and inaction” of the international community, calling it an “affront” in the face of an “unprecedented worsening of the security situation” that could lead “straight to an escalation” in the broader Great Lakes region.