The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, H.E Felix Tshisekedi, did not attend the virtual meeting of the East African Community (EAC), effectively snubbing the gathering. This meeting was held with the participation of all East African Heads of State against the backdrop of a security crisis in Eastern DRC that has put the region and the world on high alert.
This decision follows the M-23 rebels capturing Goma, a key territory in the Congo. To address this escalating situation, the current EAC chair, H.E William Ruto, organized what is referred to as the 24th Extraordinary Summit.
Presidents Samia Suluhu of Tanzania, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Salvar Kiir of South Sudan, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of Uganda, Evaristo Ndayishimiye of Burundi, and Dr. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia were all present, yet the President of the crisis-affected nation was absent, despite earlier indications of his potential attendance.
The meeting’s statement urged all conflicting parties to cease hostilities and allow humanitarian aid to reach those affected. Furthermore, the communiqué called on the Kinshasa government to engage with all parties involved to find a lasting resolution to the conflict.
“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,” reads part of the agreement from the EAC Summit.
“For peaceful settlement of the conflicts, and strongly urged the government of the DRC to engage directly with all stakeholders, including the M23 and other armed groups that have grievances.”
Surprisingly, Tshisekedi has confirmed his participation in a meeting organized by Southern African countries under the SADC framework, even though his nation is part of the EAC bloc. This has raised doubts about his dedication to the East African Community. One possible reason for Tshisekedi’s absence could be his ongoing accusations that most EAC leaders align with Paul Kagame, particularly William Ruto.
However, Tshisekedi’s secretary, Tina Salama, stated that he missed the meeting due to a scheduling conflict. This aligns with Tshisekedi’s recent lack of engagement in EAC matters, as he also skipped the EAC Heads of State Summit in Arusha late last year without issuing any apology or explanation.
The SADC meeting is scheduled for today in Zimbabwe, where he is anticipated to be present. Nonetheless, prior to this meeting, there were already discussions about how Ruto would have to work hard to bring together the feuding Kagame and Tshisekedi in a single virtual gathering.
Another proposal from the EAC was to have a joint meeting with the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which has actively participated in peacekeeping efforts in the DRC.
“Noting that the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has also been involved in eastern DRC, the summit decided on a joint EAC-SADC summit to deliberate on the way forward and mandated the chairperson to consult with the chairperson of SADC on the urgent convening of the same in the next few days,” further states the communiqué from the EAC.
Chaired a virtual Extra-Ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State on DRC. – https://t.co/Nzk0bwgvGJ pic.twitter.com/8PpCi4zhwF
— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) January 29, 2025
Earlier this week, violent protests erupted in the DRC as citizens attacked, looted, and set fire to embassies of Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, the USA, The Netherlands, France, and Belgium.
Joao Lourenco, the African Union mediator in this conflict, has called for the prompt withdrawal of Rwandan forces from DRC territory. However, Kagame has strongly denied the presence of any Rwandan troops in the Congo.
A meeting is being arranged by the Angolan President’s office for Tshisekedi and Kagame to discuss and resolve the issue once and for all. A previous meeting aimed at reconciliation between the two leaders was canceled last month during Angola-led peace discussions.
Tshisekedi ostensibly accuses Kagame of supporting the M23 rebels, who are solidifying their control in the eastern region of the country. Conversely, Kagame has denied any involvement in the conflict, instead accusing Uganda of interference. Thousands have been displaced, with casualties reported among fighters from various factions engaged in the conflict.
