Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi has vowed to restore
government authority in the east, where Rwanda-backed M23
rebels have seized control of the city of Goma and are
reportedly advancing south to take more territory.
In a televised address to the nation, he said a “vigorous and
coordinated response” against what he called “terrorists” was
under way.
He criticised the international community for “inaction” and
for not doing enough in the wake of the escalating security
crisis.
The weeks-long offensive by the rebels has promoted warnings of
a looming humanitarian crisis and growing international
pressure to end the fighting.
During Wednesday night’s address, Tshisekedi rallied all
Congolese to join together and support the army’s fight to
retake control.
“Be sure of one thing: the Democratic Republic of Congo will
not let itself be humiliated or crushed. We will fight and we
will triumph,” he said.
The fighting has forced about 500,000 people from their homes,
worsening an already dire humanitarian crisis, according to the
UN.
Since the fighting began, the city has been cut off from
electricity and water and food is in scarce supply.
An East African regional bloc virtual summit on Wednesday
evening convened by Kenya’s President William Ruto, which
Tshisekedi snubbed, called for a “peaceful settlement of the
conflicts”.
It was attended by Rwanda’s Paul Kagame, alongside the leaders
of other member countries Burundi, South Sudan, Tanzania and
Somalia.
The heads of state “strongly urged the government of the DR
Congo to directly engage with all stakeholders, including the
M23 and other armed groups that have grievances”.
Tshisekedi has been refusing to talk directly to the M23 –
insisting on only talking to Rwanda.
The East African leaders also called for a joint summit of the
bloc and leaders of the southern African regional community
(Sadc) to “deliberate on the way forward”. DR Congo is a member
of both the East African Community and Sadc.
Tshisekedi paid tribute to the Sadc soldiers “fighting
alongside us” and UN forces who had died in the wake of the
rebel assault on Goma.
Thirteen South African peacekeepers have been killed in the
deadly conflict in Goma, leading to heightened tensions between
South Africa and Rwanda.
On Wednesday night, Kagame said Rwanda was ready for a
confrontation with South Africa if necessary, following a claim
by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa that M23 fighters
and Rwandan forces were responsible for the deaths.
In a strongly worded statement directly responding to Ramaphosa
on X, Kagame accused him of distorting their private
conversations about the volatile situation.
“If South Africa wants to contribute to peaceful solutions,
that is well and good, but South Africa is in no position to
take on the role of a peacemaker or mediator. And if South
Africa prefers confrontation, Rwanda will deal with the matter
in that context any day,” he said.
The exchange marks a significant escalation in tensions between
the two nations, whose relationship has been fragile for
several years.
On Wednesday, Angola called for the Congolese and Rwandan
leaders to meet urgently in Luanda.
The country, which mediated a failed attempt at talks in
December before the M23 launched its latest offensive, also
called for the resumption of East African Community-led
discussions relating to the unrest in eastern DR Congo.
It came as Tshisekedi visited Luanda for discussions on the
next steps in the Angola-led talks.
Both the EAC-led and the Luanda peace efforts have in the past
failed to resolve the crisis.