Address root causes of DR Congo crisis – Germany

The root causes of the insecurity in eastern DR Congo need to be addressed, quickly, the embassy of Germany in Kigali has noted. This was indicated in a tweet by the embassy on Friday, February 10, following a recent visit to Rwanda, by Christoph Retzlaff, the Director for Sub-Saharan Africa and Sahel in the German Foreign Office. In Kigali, Retzlaff met, among others, Rwanda’s Minister for Defence, Maj Gen Albert Murasira, and Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen Jean Bosco Kazura. Rwanda plays an important role in stabilizing various parts of the African continent through participation in UN-Peacekeeping operations or based on bilateral agreements, the German embassy tweeted. “Both sides agreed that the root causes of the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) should be addressed urgently,” it added. ALSO READ: Belgian lawyer on why genocide ideology doesn’t dissolve three decades after dispersion of genocidaires In Kigali, he was received by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr Vincent Biruta, with whom he discussed issues in great lakes region and climate change. They “discussed our strong and vibrant partnership and regional conflicts,” especially the situation in eastern DR Congo. “De-escalation and political solution urgently needed.” Besides Kigali, Retzlaff also reportedly travelled to Kinshasa and Kampala in a regional trip aimed at discussing ways how to stabilize the situation in eastern DR Congo, as “one important topic.” ALSO READ: - EU condemns FARDC collusion with FDLR, hate speech - EU sanctions FDLR top commander over atrocities in DR Congo - UN experts report says 'Congo collaborates with FDLR' - New footage suggests FDLR fighting alongside DR Congo army Rwanda believes that as long as the FDLR, a militia formed by masterminds of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, remains in eastern DR Congo, the insecurity there will not end. Several reports by international organs have provided evidence of how the DR Congo has integrated the genocidal forces in its national army, FARDC. The escalating hate speech against Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese communities has also resulted in warnings issued by several global actors who express concern over a looming genocide. ALSO READ - Belgian attorney condemns hate speech in Eastern DR Congo - Genocide survivors want UN to probe Tutsi massacres in DR Congo - UN confirms FDLR active in DR Congo, warns of genocide - DR Congo: UN envoy draws attention to 'alarming reports' of ethnic violence

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Address root causes of DR Congo crisis – Germany