At an unprecedented joint summit of Eastern and Southern African blocs, leaders called for direct negotiations to resolve the escalating crisis in Eastern Congo, urging all parties, including Rwanda-backed rebels, to engage in dialogue.
In late January, the M23 rebel group seized Goma, the largest city in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), marking the worst escalation of violence in over a decade. The conflict has resulted in thousands of deaths. Despite declaring a unilateral ceasefire, the rebels have continued advancing south toward Bukavu.
“We must resist the temptation to think that we can somehow shoot or bombard our way to a solution,” said Kenyan President William Ruto during the summit’s opening ceremony. The event, held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, was attended by eight heads of state, including Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame. Congo’s President Félix Tshisekedi joined via video link.
While the summit’s joint communiqué emphasized the need for dialogue, Kinshasa has consistently refused to negotiate directly with M23. The Congolese delegation has yet to respond to the summit’s recommendations.
Deepening Regional Concerns
This first-ever summit bringing together both Eastern and Southern African blocs underscores the continent’s growing alarm over the crisis and the tense standoff between the DRC and neighboring Rwanda. Kinshasa has accused Rwanda of fueling the conflict by supplying troops and weapons, a claim Kigali denies.
The two regional blocs have previously held divergent views on the conflict. The Eastern bloc has leaned toward Rwanda’s calls for dialogue, while Southern African nations have largely supported the DRC, expressing outrage over the deaths of peacekeepers.
Leaders at the summit called for the withdrawal of “uninvited foreign armed forces from the territory of the DRC” and reaffirmed their commitment to protecting Congolese sovereignty. They also agreed to merge the region’s existing peace initiatives and consider involving additional facilitators from other parts of Africa. Additionally, the summit tasked regional defense chiefs with formulating a technical plan for an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire” within five days.
Worsening Humanitarian Crisis
M23’s rapid territorial gains in North Kivu province have intensified the crisis, giving the group control over lucrative coltan, gold, and tin ore mines while displacing thousands in what was already one of the world’s most dire humanitarian emergencies.
Healthcare workers in overwhelmed hospitals have been struggling to manage the influx of casualties, while mass graves are being filled with the bodies of at least 2,000 people killed in the battle for Goma. Aid agencies fear that disease outbreaks could follow due to deteriorating sanitary conditions.
Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has announced that it is closely monitoring the conflict. Reports of widespread sexual violence, including rape, gang rape, and sexual slavery, have emerged, according to the United Nations Human Rights Office.
International Pressure and Historical Tensions
Ahead of the summit, the United States warned of potential sanctions against both Rwandan and Congolese officials, raising the stakes for a diplomatic resolution.
The roots of the conflict trace back to the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide and the ongoing struggle for control of the DRC’s vast mineral resources. The well-equipped M23 rebel group, which is predominantly led by ethnic Tutsis, is the latest in a series of similar movements to emerge in eastern Congo.
Congo’s government accuses M23 of being a proxy for Rwanda, an allegation the group denies. Rwanda, in turn, rejects claims that its troops are actively fighting alongside M23 but insists it must defend itself against the presence of Hutu-led militias within Congolese territory, which it claims are allied with the Congolese military.
As the international community watches closely, the success of the summit’s resolutions remains uncertain. However, with the conflict continuing to escalate and regional stability at risk, pressure is mounting for an immediate and lasting solution.
