Faith Nyasuguta
Leaders from eastern and southern Africa have called for an immediate ceasefire in eastern Congo, where the M23 rebels, backed by Rwanda, are advancing towards key cities. The summit, held in Dar es Salaam, urged Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi to engage in direct negotiations with all parties, including the rebels, despite his long-standing refusal to negotiate with them.
Tshisekedi, who attended via videoconference, has accused the Rwanda-backed M23 of seeking to exploit Congo’s vast mineral wealth. However, the summit’s final communique stressed the need for “direct negotiations and dialogue with all state and non-state parties,” including the rebels, who recently seized Goma, eastern Congo’s largest city. The United Nations estimates that nearly 3,000 people have died and hundreds of thousands have been displaced due to the fighting.
This unprecedented joint summit brought together leaders from the East African Community (EAC), of which both Rwanda and Congo are members, and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which includes countries from Congo to South Africa. Rwandan President Paul Kagame and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa were among those in attendance. The presence of Ramaphosa, whose country has deployed troops in eastern Congo under SADC’s banner, has heightened tensions with Rwanda, which argues that these troops are escalating the conflict.
Rwanda contends that the presence of SADC troops in North Kivu province has intensified hostilities, as they are actively fighting alongside Congolese forces against M23 rebels. Kagame insists these troops are not peacekeepers but combatants assisting Congo in its war against the rebellion. According to UN reports, M23 is supported by around 4,000 Rwandan troops, while Congolese forces are backed by regional peacekeepers, UN troops, allied militias, and Burundian soldiers. Their immediate focus is to prevent the rebels from advancing towards Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province.
Kenyan President William Ruto, who currently chairs the East African Community, emphasized that “the lives of millions depend on our ability to navigate this complex and challenging situation with wisdom, clarity of mind, and empathy.” Ruto urged all parties to prioritize dialogue over conflict, stating that “dialogue is not a sign of weakness” but a necessary step towards peace.
The latest M23 offensive mirrors their previous capture of Goma over a decade ago and has effectively shattered the ceasefire brokered by Angola in 2024 between Rwanda and Congo. Some regional analysts warn that this offensive is more dangerous than past conflicts, as the rebels are linking their fight to demands for better governance and are threatening to march all the way to the capital, Kinshasa, which is 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) west of Goma.
Meanwhile, M23 and its allies are facing growing international pressure to withdraw from Goma. The Congo River Alliance, a coalition that includes M23, issued an open letter to the summit, arguing that they are fighting against Tshisekedi’s regime, which they accuse of failing to uphold democratic norms. The letter, signed by Corneille Nangaa, a leader of the rebel alliance, insisted that the group was “open for direct dialogue” with the Congolese government.
“Our revolution is national,” the letter stated, emphasizing that it includes people from all ethnic and regional backgrounds, including Congolese citizens who speak Kinyarwanda. The rebels argue that their fight is not just about ethnicity but about broader national grievances.
Despite these claims, the summit in Dar es Salaam has made it clear that foreign armed groups operating in Congo, including Rwandan forces, must withdraw. In addition to calling for an immediate ceasefire and negotiations, the summit also demanded the reopening of Goma’s airport to allow humanitarian aid to reach those affected by the conflict.
The call for Rwanda’s withdrawal was echoed at another regional meeting in Equatorial Guinea, where the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) urged the immediate removal of Rwandan troops from Congolese territory. The escalating conflict has drawn concern from the international community, with growing fears that without immediate action, the violence could spiral further, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region.
With tensions running high and diplomatic efforts intensifying, the coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether Congo and its neighbors can find a path toward de-escalation or if the conflict will continue to escalate.
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