New York: Tshisekedi, Kagame and Macron discuss armed tensions in eastern DRC

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At the initiative of the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, the Presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, and of the Republic of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, met this Wednesday, September 21, 2022 in New York, United States.

Discussions focused on armed violence in eastern DRC and the resolution of these heads of state to provide a regional and coordinated response to the threat posed by armed terrorist groups in this region.

Withdrawal of the M23 from all occupied locations

In order to bring together the conditions for a frank and constructive dialogue, necessary for the relaunch of cooperation between the two countries of the region and according to the Luanda (Angola) process, the three Heads of State agreed to act in concert to obtain the most rapidly the withdrawal of the M23 from all occupied locations and the return of those displaced by war from those locations to their homes is possible, with the support of the United Nations and their partners in the African Union, the East African Community and the Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR).

They also agreed to sustainably intensify their cooperation to combat impunity and end the action of armed groups in the Great Lakes region, including the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).

These efforts will be part of existing regional peace initiatives, including the Nairobi process.

President Felix Tshisekedi has always said “to be open to dialogue, but this dialogue must be frank and sincere with the neighboring countries of the DRC”.

This tripartite comes within hours of the Congolese president’s speech on the podium of the United Nations on Tuesday 20 September in New York.

In front of his peers from the nations of the world, Felix Tshisekedi has, once again, designated Rwanda as his country’s aggressor through the M23 rebel movement.

He called for the M23 to be withdrawn from all occupied locations to allow war displaced people to return to their homes from these locations.

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