Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Felix Tshisekedi has announced plans to initiate discussions for a unity government as international pressure increases for a resolution to the escalating conflict in the country’s east.
The M23 rebel group, reportedly backed by around 4,000 Rwandan troops according to UN experts, has been leading an insurgency since January. Last month, the rebels seized Goma, a city of two million people, resulting in approximately 3,000 deaths. Earlier this week, they captured Bukavu, another provincial capital with over a million residents, located 50km from Burundi. Burundian troops have been fighting alongside the Congolese army, raising fears of a broader regional conflict.
Tshisekedi Calls for Unity Amid Crisis
Addressing the ruling Sacred Union coalition, Tshisekedi stated, “I lost the battle and not the war. I must reach out to everyone, including the opposition. There will be a government of national unity.” However, he provided no details on when or how this would be implemented.
Regional leaders have urged negotiations between the Congolese government and M23 rebels, though Tshisekedi has previously rejected such talks, insisting that M23 is a proxy force for Rwanda.
UN Security Council Condemns Rwanda’s Support for M23
On Friday, the UN Security Council unanimously demanded that M23 “immediately cease hostilities, withdraw from all areas it controls,” and dismantle its parallel administrations in occupied territories.
The UN declared, “There is no military solution to the conflict in the east of the DRC. The offensive carried out by the M23 supported by Rwanda must be put to an end.”
M23 claims it is fighting to protect Tutsis and Congolese of Rwandan origin from discrimination and to combat an ethnic Hutu militia linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide. However, the DRC government accuses the rebels of seeking control over the country’s resource-rich territories, a claim echoed by analysts who argue that Rwanda’s involvement serves economic and strategic interests.
