President Paul Kagame on Tuesday, January 16, met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken for a discussion on “ongoing cooperation to ensure sustainable peace in the region by addressing the root causes of the conflict,” according to Village Urugwiro. The two leaders met on the side-lines of the World Economic Forum, in Davos, Switzerland. Their meeting follows a visit to Rwanda by Avril Haines, the Director of National Intelligence in November 2023. ALSO READ: Kagame, US intelligence chief discuss tensions in eastern DR Congo At the time, the discussions between President Kagame and the delegation led by Haines focused on ways to de-escalate tensions between Rwanda and DR Congo and address the root causes of the security situation in eastern DR Congo, where the government coalition is fighting the M23 rebels. ALSO READ: Armed DR Congo soldiers enter Rwanda territory, one shot dead DR Congo accuses Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels in the country’s east – allegations Kigali dismisses, saying the rebellion is a Congolese issue. Rwanda on the other hand, accuses the Congolese army of cooperating with the genocidal FDLR militia, which threatens regional security. The FDLR was created by remnants of Interahamwe militia and the former Rwandan army responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. ALSO READ: DR Congo crisis: A sequence of provocations against Rwanda Congolese warplanes violated Rwanda’s airspace at least three times between November 2022 and January 2023, in addition to rocket shells on Rwandan territory, which injured civilians. In the latest incident on the Rwanda-DR Congo border on Tuesday, January 16, three armed Congolese soldiers crossed into Rwanda. Two were arrested, and one was shot dead when he opened fire on the Rwandan soldiers. ALSO READ: Rwanda raises concerns over DR Congo arming FDLR, indigenous armed groups The Rwandan government urges Kinshasa to end support to the UN-sanctioned terrorist group FDLR. The militia is accused of spreading hate speech and violence against the Congolese Tutsi communities. Eastern DR Congo has been volatile for nearly 30 years and remains home to more than 130 armed groups.
