Kagame Says DRC Peace Talks Failed to Address Problems

Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame said Thursday that recent peace talks with DR Congo had been merely a photo opportunity for the leaders that failed to address root causes.

Rwanda-backed rebels known as the March 23 Movement (M23) since 2021 have seized swathes of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, displacing thousands and triggering a humanitarian crisis.

Rwanda says its key concern is to tackle the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an armed group primarily composed of Hutu militants formed in the wake of the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

But it has also been accused by the DRC of seizing valuable mines in the region, which is known for its mineral riches.

A ceasefire in August failed to keep the peace, and talks between Kagame and DRC President Felix Tshisekedi broke down in December.

“Wherever there were meetings to discuss how to end this problem, Rwanda was present,” Kagame said in a press conference.

“But in the end, even now as we speak, the (focus) is not on ending the problem, the (focus) is on the appearance, being photographed,” he added.

“We have to have results built on addressing root causes.”

The Rwandan president has trodden a fine line, never admitting military involvement but saying the fighting cannot end until the FDLR is eliminated.

“The FDLR question has to be answered. There’s no dodging it or circling around the problem endlessly. We have to find a solution,” Kagame said.

Rwanda denies reports by United Nations experts and others that it is directly supporting the M23.

By Agencies