The Congo River Alliance, which includes the M23 rebel group, has described the recent peace agreement between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as an incomplete but important step.
The coalition made the statement through its coordinator, Corneille Nangaa, in a speech delivered to Congolese citizens on the occasion of DRC’s Independence Day.
On Friday, June 27, Rwanda and the DRC signed a peace agreement in a ceremony held in Washington, D.C., USA.
This deal follows three years of tense relations between the two countries, due to the ongoing war between the Kinshasa government and the M23 rebel group, which the international community accuses Rwanda of supporting.
One of the key points in the agreement is that the issues involving M23 and the Congolese government must be resolved through Doha-hosted peace talks in Qatar.
In his speech, Nangaa criticized the agreement for addressing only part of the conflict, ignoring deeper root causes within the Congo.
He said:
“Telling the people and the world that there is no internal problem in DRC — that it’s just an issue between Kigali and Kinshasa — is a deception that cannot be tolerated.”
He added that this is why the AFC/M23 supports the Doha negotiation process, aimed at fostering dialogue between Kinshasa and their movement, to “resolve the root causes of Congo’s crisis.”
He went on to commend the efforts, patience, and will of Qatar and its Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, for their role in seeking lasting peace.
Nangaa concluded by reaffirming that the demands of the AFC/M23 remain unchanged, and peace can only be achieved by involving Congolese stakeholders in resolving the root causes, which he blames on President Tshisekedi’s government.
