President Paul Kagame, on Saturday, February 22, met with David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, at Village Urugwiro, where they discussed the need for a lasting solution to the situation in DR Congo, rooted in the reality on the ground. According to a statement from the Office of the President, the meeting also featured conversations about bilateral cooperation between the UK and Rwanda. ALSO READ: Gen Muganga attends EAC defence chiefs meet on DR Congo crisis The statement stated that Kagame made it clear that Rwanda is committed to a peaceful resolution, but its legitimate security interests must be recognised and respected. “The President reiterated the importance of respecting the ongoing continental process to bring a durable solution to the conflict in DRC,” it read. Rwanda has expressed concerns about the collaboration between the Congolese armed forces and the FDLR, as well as Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi's threats to topple the Rwandan government. In a video shared via Lammy’s X account, the Foreign Secretary said that he had also spoken with Tshisekedi about the situation in the eastern part of his country. The conflict in eastern DR Congo intensified in January when the M23, a rebel group at loggerheads with the Congolese government over the persecution and denial of rights against the Congolese Tutsi, advanced on the city of Goma and seized it. The group now also controls Bukavu city. ALSO READ: EAC-SADC leaders urge for political solution to silence the guns in eastern DR Congo The M23 is fighting with the DR Congo government forces coalition which includes militias such as the FDLR, a UN-designated terrorist group founded by remnants of the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. Various efforts to resolve the situation are currently taking place, supported by the African Union. The latest of such efforts are the joint peace talks between the East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC). On February 8, the heads of state from the two blocs met in Dar es Salaam and called for direct peace negotiations between the Congolese government and M23 rebels, as well as an immediate and unconditional ceasefire by all parties involved.
