Democratic Republic of Congo President Félix Tshisekedi directly appealed to Rwandan President Paul Kagame to end his country’s support for the M23 rebel group, issuing a public plea for peace during an international forum in Brussels with his counterpart seated in the audience.
Despite Rwanda’s claims of not being involved in any way with the rebel group, President Tshisekedi, speaking at the European Union’s Global Gateway Forum, shifted from his prepared remarks to address the ongoing conflict in eastern DRC.
“I have seen the President of Rwanda, that is who I am talking about,” Tshisekedi stated, looking toward Kagame. “I extend my hand and ask that we cease hostilities. Let’s halt this escalation.”
He explicitly called on Kagame to “give the order to the M23 troops who have been supported by your country,” emphasizing that the violence has “already killed enough people.”
The M23 rebel group, which first emerged in 2012 and resurfaced in late 2021, has intensified its offensive across eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, seizing key territories including Goma and mining towns in North Kivu. The renewed violence has displaced more than seven million people, left thousands dead, and crippled healthcare and food systems.
With M23 now taxing miners and traders in coltan-rich regions, the DRC’s economy is bleeding from lost revenue and disrupted trade. Accusations of Rwandan backing have further strained regional relations, complicating peace efforts and deepening the country’s humanitarian crisis.
