By Our Correspondent, NAIROBI
Kenya
East Africa’s leaders have
responded to the
threat of war between Rwanda and Congo by instructing a new regional
force to deploy in eastern Congo and ordering an immediate cease-fire.Rwandan border security forces stand guard on their side of the Petite Barriere border crossing with Rwanda in Goma, eastern Congo Friday, June 17, 2022
A statement after the leaders’
meeting in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, didn’t give details on the date of the
force’s deployment or its composition. Congo’s presidency later tweeted that
the force should be operational in the coming weeks but shouldn’t include
Rwandan troops. The presidents of both countries attended Monday.
The regional heads of state adopted “for immediate implementation” the status of forces agreement, concept of operations and rules of engagement, the statement said. The heads of state told the force to cooperate with Congolese forces to stabilize the region.
There was no direct mention of
Rwanda, which Congo has accused of supporting the M23 rebel group that has
carried out renewed attacks in recent months. The statement noted the “presence
of foreign negative elements” as a critical issue. Rwanda has long denied
supporting the M23 rebels, who captured a key town in eastern Congo last week.
ALSO READ: M23 rebels captured key town as DR Congo accuse Rwanda involvement
Asked after Monday’s meeting
whether Rwanda would contribute troops to the regional force in eastern Congo,
deputy government spokesman Alain Mukurarinda said he needed to check with the
president’s office. Congo is not the one who chooses who should deploy or not,
he added.
Congolese President Felix
Tshisekedi on Friday accused Rwanda of trying to occupy his country’s land for
its vast mineral wealth, hours after Rwanda said a Congolese soldier had
crossed the border and begun shooting at Rwandan security forces and civilians
before being shot dead.East African Community heads of state on Monday directed that a regional force be deployed to the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Congo’s president has also
called on international leaders, including British Prime Minister Boris
Johnson, to step up the pressure on Rwanda when it hosts the Commonwealth
summit this week.
ALSO READ: DR Congo rebels seize trading hub on Ugandan border
Each side has accused the
other of incursions. Congo now seeks to suspend all agreements with Rwanda.
Rwanda’s state minister for foreign affairs in charge of East African matters,
Manasseh Nshuti, has said dialogue “is the solution” to the issues.
Dynamics in eastern Congo
“were already strained” by Congo and neighboring Uganda carrying out a joint
operation there against another rebel group, the Allied Democratic Forces,
according to a new report by the U.N. panel of experts on Congo. Both Uganda
and Rwanda have long been accused of backing rebels and pursuing some of the
region’s rich mineral wealth, including gold.
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