The President of Rwanda Paul Kagame has criticized both the East African Community (EAC) and the international community for their failure to resolve the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). During the 24th Extraordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State, Kagame questioned whether anyone expected the situation in the DRC to unfold as it has.
Commenting on the fall of Goma, a key city in North Kivu, Kagame expressed that he foresaw the situation deteriorating, citing the lack of leadership and coordination in managing the process. He pointed out that there seemed to be no clear direction or guidance on how to approach the situation from day to day.
The conflict resolution efforts have involved regional processes led by Kenya, initially by President Uhuru Kenyatta and now by his successor, William Ruto, as well as initiatives from Angola under President João Lourenço.
Kagame criticized the lack of decisive action from EAC leaders, questioning whether they truly understood what they were trying to achieve and how to do so. He echoed concerns raised by President Samia, suggesting that while the leaders were good at discussing the issues, they were not matching their words with concrete actions. He expressed frustration that progress had not been made, despite the rhetoric.
Kagame also condemned the absence of the DRC in the summit, questioning the relevance of the EAC's efforts in resolving regional conflicts if the country at the center of the crisis was not even present. He emphasized that meaningful progress would not occur unless all parties directly involved in the conflict were engaged and contributing to the peace process.
Reflecting on the actions of the DRC’s President Tshisekedi, Kagame noted that the EAC regional force had initially made progress, but was later expelled by Tshisekedi, who sought help from SADC instead. Kagame expressed frustration that the decision to bring in a new force marked the beginning of the current crisis. He lamented that the East African leaders had not come together to form a unified approach to the issue, with each country seemingly pursuing its own agenda.
Kagame stressed the need for collective, coordinated efforts to address the crisis, criticizing the current situation where countries are working at cross-purposes. He argued that until the key parties in the DRC conflict are fully committed to the peace process, regional efforts will not lead to a resolution, even if the leaders take the right actions.
Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame has strongly criticized his DRC counterpart, President Tshisekedi, for abandoning the East African Community's (EAC) efforts and seeking support from other regions such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and groups like the FDLR (Forces Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda), which Kagame accused of killing Rwandans. Kagame expressed his disapproval of Tshisekedi’s decision to bring in SADC, which he claimed supported Tshisekedi’s agenda, even collaborating with the FDLR, a group responsible for atrocities against Rwandans. He condemned this alliance, emphasizing the role these forces played in the violence in eastern Congo.
Kagame reminded regional leaders of the atrocities committed by the DRC and its allies, including displacement, killings, and persecution, especially of ethnic Tutsis. He noted that Rwanda had been hosting refugees from the DRC for over 20 years, forced to flee due to ethnic violence. He pointed out the presence of multiple international forces in the region, such as MONUSCO, SAMIDRC, mercenaries, Burundi, and FDLR, but lamented that the global community had failed to take meaningful action despite being aware of the ongoing crisis.
Kagame also criticized South African President Cyril Ramaphosa for supporting the war against Congolese people fighting for their rights and for aligning with forces that have been battling the M23, a group Kagame insists is made up of Congolese, not Rwandans. He expressed frustration with Ramaphosa's stance and noted the contradictions in Tshisekedi’s narrative about the origins of M23 members. Kagame expressed concern about how international leaders, including South Africa, had allowed Tshisekedi’s manipulative tactics to persist and warned of the consequences of such actions.
On the peace processes, Kagame pointed out that the international community had become overly focused on the leaders involved in the talks rather than on achieving concrete results. He criticized the Nairobi Process, which he described as becoming more about individual leaders than about resolving the underlying issues. He also questioned the military approach to solving Congo’s problems, particularly the use of forces like Burundi’s, which Kagame said had not helped in the last weeks.
Finally, Kagame advised EAC leaders, including Kenyan President William Ruto, to ensure that any peace efforts are grounded in the right context. He warned that if individual interests continued to dominate over common regional goals, finding a solution to the crisis would remain out of reach. He also vowed to take action in response to recent cross-border attacks from the DRC, which had killed Rwandan civilians. Kagame emphasized that Rwanda would not tolerate such aggression and would respond appropriately.
By Elite Daily News
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