Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi will be present at the African Union (AU) summit this weekend but will skip a key meeting on the escalating conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). His office confirmed that Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka will represent him at the AU Peace and Security Council discussions on Friday, February 14.
The decision comes as M23 rebels, allegedly backed by Rwandan forces, advanced into South Kivu province, following a major offensive in North Kivu earlier this year. Tshisekedi, meanwhile, has traveled to Germany for the Munich Security Conference (February 14-16) to rally international support for resolving the crisis.
The DRC has repeatedly called for sanctions against Rwanda, accusing it of backing M23 rebels, but international responses remain limited. The conflict has led to at least 2,900 deaths, with global pressure mounting on Rwanda to withdraw its forces and commit to a ceasefire and de-escalation.
