President Paul Kagame and his Angolan counterpart João Lourenço discussed the crisis in eastern DR Congo, where M23 rebels took control of the strategic city of Goma on Monday, January 27. The two leaders discussed “the need for a long-term and sustainable solution to the ongoing situation” in DR Congo, Kagame said in a post on X on Thursday. “We also reaffirmed our commitment to working with others on the continent to find a solution, while deepening our strong bilateral partnership going forward.” Earlier today, I had a productive conversation with President João Lourenço @jlprdeangola and discussed the need for a long-term and sustainable solution to the ongoing situation in the DRC. We also reaffirmed our commitment to working with others on the continent to find a... — Paul Kagame (@PaulKagame) January 30, 2025 ALSO READ: DR Congo crisis: We must avoid manipulation, Kagame to EAC leaders Lourenço is the mediator of the Luanda process, an African Union-backed initiative that sought to restore peace in eastern DR Congo and mend relations between Rwanda and DR Congo, which were soured by the conflict in North Kivu province after Kinshasa accused its neighbour of supporting the rebels. Rwanda dismissed the allegations, pointing to its security concerns about the collaboration between the Congolese army and the FDLR, a UN-sanctioned group founded by perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, as well threats by Congolese president Felix Tshisekedi to cause regime change in Rwanda. ALSO READ: EAC leaders urge DR Congo to ‘engage with’ M23 rebels The Luanda process hit a snag in mid-December, when the Congolese government refused to approve an agreement that would allow peace talks with the M23. The conflict escalated since, with the rebels capturing more territory in North and South Kivu provinces, before capturing Goma, a city of two million people and a hub of international and humanitarian interventions in the conflict-ridden eastern DR Congo. ALSO READ: Timeline of events before and after M23 entered Goma The latest escalation has caused outcry and calls for a permanent resolution of the conflict, which resurfaced just three years ago, nearly a decade after the M23 withdrew from Goma. Various government and international organisations have called for a return to the Luanda process. Presidents of the East African Community (EAC) countries on Wednesday urged the Congolese leader to “directly engage” with M23 rebels as a practical way to resolve the conflict. Tshisekedi, who skipped the EAC summit, has previously ruled out the possibility of peace talks with the rebel group he calls a terrorist movement. ALSO READ: Kinshasa could have avoided current crisis, says Rwanda envoy Stressing the need to address the conflict’s root causes, President Kagame told his EAC counterparts on Wednesday that Tshisekedi’s government had to take responsibility of the crisis and express political will in finding lasting resolution. “I don’t understand how Tshisekedi keeps thinking that he will resolve the problems to do with rights of people militarily ... kill them, shoot them,” Kagame said during the crisis meeting held virtually. He pointed to manipulation of regional efforts as a major hindrance to lasting peace in eastern DR Congo. But if we keep saying good things to each other and being nice and each one fulfilling their own interests other than the common interests of East Africans, then I don’t see how we are going to contribute effectively to finding a solution,” Kagame said.
