OPINION | Regional powers should drive diplomacy in DRC as M23 surrounds Goma: With the humanitarian crisis growing, nations involved, particularly Kenya, must press hard for a halt to the insurgent advances and urge Kinshasa and Kigali to reduce tensions
The UN reports that details of cooperation between the insurgents and Kigali do not mention a Ugandan role, however, similar reports did so in 2012. Nor has Tshisekedi criticised Kampala in the same terms — though possibly partly because he is hoping Ugandan troops can flush out ADF insurgents.
Like his predecessor Joseph Kabila, who forged close ties with Southern African countries, Tshisekedi is seeking support from farther afield to buttress his position in negotiations with neighbouring Rwanda. When discussing what shape the force would take, Kinshasa firmly rejected contingents from Rwanda, though did accept Rwandan personnel in the operational headquarters.
Alongside the military deployment, the EAC has initiated talks between armed groups and Congolese officials, the first and second rounds of which were held in April and May, with a third taking place in Nairobi from 28 November. Headed by former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, the talks are, in principle, open to all Congolese armed groups in the eastern DRC, excluding foreigners such as the ADF, who are probably too extreme in their views to join talks in any case.
Notably, from 4 to 15 November, Kenyatta visited Bujumbura, Kinshasa and Goma and spoke by phone to Kagame and UN Secretary General António Guterres. Angolan President João Lourenço was in Kigali on 11 November, while Kenya’s new president, William Ruto, flew to Kinshasa for meetings with Tshisekedi on 20 November.
Tshisekedi and Kagame have not met since July, and the Luanda communique, while adding welcome urgency, adds little new to repeated demands to insurgents to lay down arms and those with influence over them to help. Already, the M23 has reacted by saying it is not bound by the agreement andWhile the group reiterated that it is open in principle to a ceasefire, it restarted hostilities in Rutshuru territory, fighting one of several Congolese armed groups that have recently begun opposing it.
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