Top US diplomat on African tour expresses concern over Rwanda’s support for rebels in DR Congo
DOUALA, Cameroon
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Tuesday for a bilateral working session, said the Congolese presidency.
Following a meeting with President Felix Tshisekedi and a working session between their countries’ delegations, Blinken called for an end to support for the M23 rebel group.
He was speaking at a press briefing, where he expressed concern over the rebels, who have been wreaking havoc in the Central African country for several years. They have seized an important locality on the border with Uganda and are supported by Rwanda, according to the Congolese authorities and a recent UN report.
“We are concerned by this UN report, which indicates that Rwanda was supporting M23. We call on every party in this region to stop all support for M23, all support for all other non-state armed groups,” said Blinken.
Alongside Congo Vice Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Christophe Lutundula, he called for the laying down of arms and commitment to a peace process.
He said that all countries must respect the territorial integrity of others and it is a global principal for both Ukraine and the DRC.
For Blinken, “the DRC is a key partner in promoting security, stability, democracy and respect for human rights, the rule of law, and for the climate.”
During the visit, the Americans and the Congolese also discussed rapid and effective reforms in terms of economic growth and also biodiversity, according to the Congolese presidency.
“We had productive conversations on regional security, climate action, free and fair elections, strengthening democratic institutions and upholding the rule of law,” Blinken said.
According to Patrick Muyaya, the spokesman for the Congolese government, the working group focused on “the issue of climate and the exploitation of resources, democracy, and support for economic reforms.”
Blinken is currently on a tour of Africa, where he visited South Africa before the DRC. He will travel to the Rwandan capital Kigali on Wednesday, where he will meet with President Paul Kagame to discuss security issues involving rebel groups in the DRC and other topics.
“The seemingly rapid deterioration of security in eastern DRC and the resurgence of the M23 are the result of longstanding regional rivalries between Rwanda and Uganda,” according to the Africa Center for Strategic Studies.
It warned that the precipitous escalation of the security crisis in eastern DRC risks reigniting an interstate conflict in the Great Lakes region.
