The United States is pushing for a peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda that requires Rwandan troops to withdraw from eastern Congo before signing the deal. This condition is likely to irritate Rwanda, which views Congo-based armed groups as a significant threat to its existence.
The US aims to finalize the peace agreement within two months, paving the way for billions of dollars in Western investment in the region, rich in minerals like tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper, and lithium.
Rwanda has denied supporting the M23 rebels, claiming its forces are acting in self-defense against Congo’s army and ethnic Hutu militiamen linked to the 1994 genocide.
However, analysts and diplomats estimate that Rwanda has deployed between 7,000 to 12,000 soldiers to eastern Congo to support the M23 rebels.
The Congolese government demands the total withdrawal of Rwandan troops as a precondition for signing the agreement, refusing to compromise.
A draft peace agreement stipulates that Rwanda must withdraw its troops, weapons, and equipment from Congo as a condition for signature.
The US-brokered deal also calls for a Joint Security Coordination Mechanism to address security issues, including the presence of Rwandan Hutu militias in Congo. Qatar has presented a draft proposal to both delegations, which would consult their leaders before resuming talks.
The conflict in eastern Congo has resulted in the death and displacement of millions of civilians, with the UN describing it as “one of the most severe, complex, and neglected humanitarian crises of our times”.
The US has urged the United Nations Security Council to consider measures to halt the offensive by Rwandan troops and M23 rebel forces in eastern Congo. Acting US Ambassador to the UN, Dorothy Shea, emphasized the need for an immediate ceasefire and for Rwanda to withdraw its troops from the DRC.
The UN Security Council has demanded that M23 rebel forces stop their offensive and that “external forces” in the region immediately withdraw.
