Moments later, DRC quoted Nduhungirehe’s post on X, saying, the ministerial retreat was a “consultative setting and not a decision-making setting of the EAC.”
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has refuted claims by Rwanda that “concrete decisions” were taken during the East African Community (EAC) Ministerial retreat in Zanzibar on resolving the M23 rebellion.
The meeting held on Sunday was attended by DRC’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Hon Gracia Yamba Kazadi, Rwanda’s Foreign Minister, Olivier Nduhungirehe and his junior, Gen James Kabarebe.
Other officials in attendance were Uganda’s Minister of East African Affairs, Hon Rebecca Kadaga and Kenya’s Foreign Minister, Dr Musalia Mudavadi.
Nduhungirehe later took to X, saying a “direct engagement and frank discussion” on the conflict in eastern DRC took place in a “constructive and solution-oriented spirit.”
He further said “the ministers of the two neighbouring countries (Kenya and Uganda), who demonstrated good will, underscored the need for a political solution to the crisis in eastern DRC.”
“In this regard, concrete decisions were taken to reinvigorate Luanda and Nairobi peace processes,” Nduhungirehe emphasised.
Moments later, DRC quoted Nduhungirehe’s post on X, saying, the ministerial retreat was a “consultative setting and not a decision-making setting of the EAC.”
DRC’s Foreign Ministry further said, the “DRC reiterates the primacy of the Luanda process for addressing tensions with Rwanda.”
Kinshasa emphasised: “The grave human suffering and displacement is due to the violent actions of Rwanda Defence Force and M23, not local armed groups. The EAC Retreat does not replace the African Union, which mandated the Luanda Process.”
The development underscores the challenges Rwanda and DRC faces in resolving the M23 rebellion.
Kinshasa says Rwanda is providing arms and soldiers to the M23 rebel movement to destabilise eastern Congo with the view of exploiting its mineral wealth.
Rwanda accuses DRC of supporting and collaborating with a Hutu rebel group, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), which has a history of launching attacks against Tutsis in both Congo and Rwanda.
The United States recently forced Rwanda and DRC to agree to a two-week ceasefire to allow return of displaced people, and humanitarian personnel access to vulnerable populations.
This followed a rapid advance of M23 rebels toward the strategic town of Butembo in North Kivu.
The recent expansion of fighting in North Kivu has prevented humanitarian workers from reaching hundreds of thousands of IDPs in the area around Kanyabayonga and displaced more than 100,000 people from their homes.
The conflict also has significantly contributed to the displacement of a record 7.2 million people across DRC due to various conflicts, according to the United Nations.
The M23 insurgents claim their objective is to defend Tutsis from adversaries such as the FDLR which comprises Hutu extremists who escaped to Congo after taking part in the 1994 genocide against Tutsis and moderate Hutus in Rwanda.