Oct. 30 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The African Union has expressed this Sunday its “extreme concern” about the security situation in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo after the advances of the rebel group March 23 Movement (M23).
“They ask all parties for an immediate ceasefire, respect for international law, security for civilians and stability of borders with all countries in the region,” the African Union said in a joint statement from the current president of the pan-African body. , Macky Sall, and the president of the AU Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat.
They also call for a “constructive dialogue” within the mechanism provided for in the Framework for Peace, Security and Cooperation for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the region and recall that a meeting of the inter-Congolese process has been called for November 4-13 for which They ask for “good faith”.
The text reiterates the AU’s support for the Luanda Road Map for the normalization of political relations between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda.
The M23, made up mainly of Tutsis, took up arms again in 2021 and has managed in recent days to take the towns of Kiwanja and Rutshuru, located next to the main road that serves Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, located east of the country and bordering Rwanda. United Nations experts accused Uganda and Rwanda of supporting the rebels, although both countries denied doing so.
The M23 has been accused since November 2021 of carrying out attacks against Army positions in North Kivu, despite the fact that the Congolese authorities and the M23 signed a peace agreement in December 2013 after the combats registered since 2012 with the Army, which was supported by United Nations troops.
Relations between the DRC and Rwanda have gone through moments of crisis since the massive arrival in eastern DRC of Rwandan Hutus accused of having massacred the Tutsis during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. After a certain stage of diplomatic relaxation, the conflict gained intensity again in May, when the Congolese government summoned the Rwandan ambassador to denounce the country’s alleged support for the M23.
