Rwanda's President Paul Kagame and Felix Tshisekedi, leader of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), are set to participate in crucial talks in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, this Saturday. The summit gathers leaders from the East African Community and the South African Development Community to address the escalating conflict in eastern DRC.
The conflict, driven by the March 23 Movement (M23) — an armed group accused by the DRC of receiving support from Rwanda — has intensified in the mineral-rich eastern regions. Recently, M23 captured the strategic city of Goma and is advancing into South Kivu province, resulting in thousands of deaths and displacing many more.
While President Kagame has arrived in Dar es Salaam for the summit, DRC's leader Tshisekedi will join the discussions via video call. Other attending leaders include those from Kenya, Somalia, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, all aiming to forge a path toward lasting peace.
Since the re-emergence of M23 in 2021, previous peace initiatives hosted by Angola and Kenya have failed, with multiple ceasefires collapsing. Rwanda denies providing military support to M23 and counters the DRC's allegations by accusing the DRC of sheltering the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an armed group involved in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
As tensions rise, the international community watches closely, hoping that this summit will pave the way for stability and peace in a region long plagued by turmoil.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
