The tripartite between Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi, Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Angolan President Joâo Lourenço will no longer take place. This announcement was made this Sunday, December 15, 2024, by the Congolese Presidency.
According to this source, the cancellation of this meeting is caused by the refusal of the Rwandan delegation to take part in this meeting supposed to put an end to hostilities in the East of the DRC by the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from Congolese zones.
"Started more than 5 hours late, while the Congolese party was already in the room, the ministerial meeting between the DRC and Rwanda, which was to validate the agreement to be submitted for signature by the heads of state, ended in a damp squib." The Rwandan delegation inserted a clause not provided for in the initial agreement. This new paragraph makes the signing of this agreement conditional on direct negotiations between the DRC and the M23. Something the DRC has always refused," we read in a dispatch from the Congolese Presidency.
The Congolese and Rwandan presidents were due to meet under the auspices of Angolan President João Lourenço, the African Union (AU) designated mediator in the conflict between Kigali and Kinshasa, for new talks aimed at restoring peace in eastern DRC. Early this Sunday morning, only Félix Tshisekedi had arrived at the Angolan Presidency. However, two days before the summit, both parties had stated that they were working on an agreement that could be finalized this same Sunday and that there was a desire to move towards signing a new agreement.
an official statement, Kinshasa accused Kigali of setting "last-minute conditions" by demanding direct dialogue between the DRC and the M23 rebel group. The DRC, which describes the group as "terrorist", firmly rejected the demand, seeing it as an attempt to "destabilise and torpedo" the peace process.
"An unacceptable condition"
According to the statement, this Rwandan demand is considered incompatible with the objectives set by previous mediations and seriously compromises the efforts undertaken under the auspices of Angola and supported by the African Union. Kinshasa insists that no legitimacy can be granted to the M23, accused of multiple human rights violations and illegal occupation of vast territories in North Kivu.
The summit was also due to address the withdrawal of the Rwandan Armed Forces (RDF) and the disarmament of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), but the cancellation of the meeting jeopardises these advances.
Call for international responsibility
Kinshasa has welcomed the efforts of Angolan President João Lourenço, while calling on the international community to "take responsibility" in the face of what it considers to be "a deliberate blocking strategy" by Kigali. The statement, signed by Erik Nyindu Kibambe, director of the presidential communications unit, states that "the world must see that Rwanda is a major obstacle to peace in the Great Lakes region."
Another failure for regional diplomacy
The cancellation marks a further setback for mediation efforts in the region. The differences between Kigali and Kinshasa over the management of the M23 illustrate the continuing challenges to achieving a peaceful resolution to the crisis.
The Congolese government, however, remains committed to the peace process under the leadership of João Lourenço, while rejecting any attempt to recognise the armed groups as legitimate interlocutors.
Kinshasa and Kigali continue to accuse each other of supporting armed militias operating in the region, exacerbating an already complex situation and threatening the stability of the entire Great Lakes region.
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