EU condemns M23 offensive and pressures Rwanda over eastern DRC conflict
The European Union has issued a warning to the Congolese rebel group M23 and Rwanda in response to the continued offensive in North Kivu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
"The EU strongly condemns the recent occupation by the armed group M23 of the town of Masisi and surrounding areas in North Kivu," the statement read. "The continued advance of M23 is a flagrant violation of the ceasefire agreed upon in the framework of the Luanda process. The latest developments significantly undermine efforts undertaken towards a peaceful resolution to the conflict in eastern DRC."
The Belgian ministry of Foreign affairs voiced its agreement with the EU's statement in a post on X.
On Sunday, M23 rebels seized control of Masisi, an administrative capital approximately 80km north of Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu. The EU has called for M23’s immediate withdrawal and adherence to the ceasefire while urging Rwanda to cease its reported cooperation with the rebel group and withdraw its military presence from DRC territory.
Referring to the Luanda Process, a diplomatic initiative led by Angolan president João Lourenço to de-escalate tensions in the Great Lakes Region, the EU reaffirmed its "full and steadfast support and commitment". The statement also urged the DRC to sever ties with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda and other armed groups.
The EU has further threatened sanctions against "those responsible for sustaining the armed conflict, instability, and insecurity in the DRC".
Ongoing conflict
Since November 2021, the M23 rebellion has captured large strips of territory in the DRC's conflict-ridden east, a region plagued by instability for three decades. By December 2024, the rebels had advanced significantly, reaching just 50km from Lubero and 100km from Butembo, a key commercial hub.
Efforts to broker peace remain stalled. A summit in December between Congolese president Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan president Paul Kagame, mediated by Lourenço, was cancelled after the two sides disagreed on terms for an accord "for the restoration of peace and stability in the east of the DRC".
M23 rebels © PHOTO PHIL MOORE / AFP
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