President Paul Kagame on Wednesday, January 29, said he had a conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the “need to ensure a ceasefire” in eastern DR Congo, where M23 rebels captured Goma city on Sunday, escalating conflict that has been ongoing since late 2021. In a post on X, Kagame said he and Rubio also discussed the need to “address the root causes of the conflict once and for all, and on the importance of deepening our bilateral ties based upon respect for our respective national interests.” “I look forward to working with the Trump Administration to create the prosperity and security that the people of our region deserve. Had a productive conversation with Secretary Rubio @SecRubio on the need to ensure a ceasefire in Eastern DRC and address the root causes of the conflict once and for all, and on the importance of deepening our bilateral ties based upon respect for our respective national... — Paul Kagame (@PaulKagame) January 28, 2025 The M23 rebels took control of Goma, which is home to about two million people, after a 48-hour ultimatum they had given to the Congolese government forces to lay down weapons elapsed on the night of Sunday. ALSO READ: M23 rebels capture Goma, call for calm Members of the Congolese armed forces surrendered to the rebels and handed over their weapons to MONUSCO, the UN mission in the conflict-ridden country. However, the battle for the city that borders Rwanda continued on Monday, with Congolese army and FDLR militia firing shells on Rwandan territory and killing nine civilians and injuring more than 30 others. The conflict in eastern DR Congo has affected relations with Rwanda, as Kinshasa accused its neighbour of supporting the rebels. Rwanda dismisses the allegations, pointing to its security concerns about the collaboration of the Congolese army and the FDLR, a UN-sanctioned terrorist group founded by perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. ALSO READ: Kinshasa could have avoided current crisis, says Rwanda envoy Rwanda also points to the threat posed by the activities of the Congolese army and thousands of Burundian forces, European mercenaries and South Africa-led SADC troops near the Rwandan border, amid regime change threats by Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi. Rwanda maintains that the conflict should be resolved through a political process involving peace talks with M23, but Kinshasa labels the group as terrorist movement, ruling out the possibility of talks. In a last-minute move in mid-December, the Congolese government declined an agreement, negotiated by foreign ministers of Rwanda, DR Congo and mediated by Angola, which would lay the groundwork for negotiation with the rebels. ALSO READ: Dialogue with M23: The impasse in Luanda talks The conflict escalated since, with the rebels taking control of more territory, before capturing Goma, the capital of North Kivu province and a hub for international military and humanitarian interventions in eastern DR Congo. Heads of State of the East African Community (EAC) are expected to hold a crisis meeting to find a way of the escalating conflict.
