The development led to the indefinite postponement of the much-awaited meeting between Rwandan President Paul Kagame and his DRC counterpart, Félix Tshisekedi, on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
Rwanda's Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed frustration over the failure to reach a consensus, particularly regarding the involvement of the M23 rebel group in peace discussions.
According to a statement released late Sunday afternoon, the talks faltered due to the DRC's refusal to engage directly with M23, despite previous commitments to do so.
The summit's postponement comes amid heightened tensions between the two nations, with Rwanda also raising concerns over continued threats from DRC officials, including President Tshisekedi's comments about pursuing regime change in Rwanda.
Rwanda also pointed to the growing presence of a coalition of forces in eastern DRC, including European mercenaries, Burundian troops, the Wazalendo militia, and the FDLRâ€"a group composed of remnants of the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
Rwanda called for 'serious actions' to address the FDLR, emphasizing the need for concrete steps beyond political "games."
'There must be serious actions to deal with the FDLR beyond the games being played around this problem,' the statement read.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the postponement allows for further dialogue, as Angola's President João Lourenço, who is facilitating the peace efforts, has proposed an additional round of discussions between M23 and the DRC, with former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta mediating. This move aims to clarify positions and lay the groundwork for a potential resumption of the broader peace process.
Rwanda's government reiterated that the DRC must take responsibility for its actions, stating that it could no longer use Rwanda as a pretext for inaction.
'There are actions that the DRC can and must take for themselves without continually using Rwanda as a pretext for doing nothing,' the statement declared.
Despite the setback, Rwanda reaffirmed its commitment to participating in peace talks that offer a serious and concrete path to resolving the region's persistent issues.
'Rwanda remains ready to participate in a summit that would adopt a serious and concrete path to resolve these remaining questions once and for all,' it said.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
