On Tuesday, Democratic Republic of Congo President Félix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in eastern Congo during their first meeting since M23 rebels intensified their offensive earlier in January.
A joint statement, issued in collaboration with Qatar—whose emir mediated the high-level talks in Doha—underscored the urgency of halting hostilities, emphasizing that the ceasefire should be implemented “immediately and without preconditions.”
However, the potential impact of this call remains uncertain, especially with the M23 insurgents currently controlling more territory than ever before in the region, including the two largest cities in eastern Congo.
The ongoing offensive has escalated tensions between the two neighboring nations, with Congo accusing Rwanda of not only supplying arms but also deploying Rwandan troops to back the M23 rebels.
This military support, according to Congo, has significantly contributed to the worsening of the conflict, plunging eastern Congo into its most devastating violence in decades.
The complexity of the situation, with longstanding regional rivalries and accusations of foreign involvement, makes finding a lasting solution to the crisis increasingly difficult.
