Rwanda pulls out of Central African bloc over clash with Congo
Rwanda has announced its decision to withdraw from the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) following a diplomatic dispute over its alleged role in the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Rwanda announced its withdrawal from the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) after a dispute over its alleged involvement in the DRC conflict.
Rwanda's foreign ministry expressed condemnation regarding ECCAS's decision to retain Equatorial Guinea as its chair instead of Rwanda.
Efforts involving international mediation are ongoing to resolve tensions and foster peace in the region.
Rwanda has announced its decision to withdraw from the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) following a diplomatic dispute over its alleged role in the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
ECCAS, the 11-member regional bloc founded in the 1980s, was created to promote cooperation on security and economic development across Central Africa.
Rwanda was meant to take over as the new leader of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), a position that moves from one country to another, according to Reuters.
But at a meeting on Saturday in Equatorial Guinea, it was stopped from doing so. Instead, the bloc opted to retain Equatorial Guinea as chair, a move Rwanda's foreign ministry condemned as a breach of its rights.
In a statement, Rwanda accused the Democratic Republic of Congo of 'instrumentalizing' ECCAS. It declared that it saw 'no justification for remaining in an organization whose current functioning runs counter to its founding principles.'
The office of Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi said in a statement that ECCAS member states had "acknowledged the aggression against the Democratic Republic of Congo by Rwanda and ordered the aggressor country to withdraw its troops from Congolese soil."
Accusations fly as Rwanda denies backing M23 rebels
Rwanda has been accused of supporting the M23 rebel group in eastern DR Congo. Earlier this year, M23 fighters captured two of the region's biggest cities, in an offensive that killed thousands and raised fears of a wider regional war.
The governments of DR Congo, the US, and France have all pointed to Rwanda as backing the rebel group. Rwanda has repeatedly denied the allegations, claiming its military presence near the border is purely defensive.
Meanwhile, efforts to broker peace have been ongoing, with African leaders, the United States, and Qatar involved in mediation attempts.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
3 hours ago
- The Hill
Uganda's president seeks a seventh term that would bring him closer to 5 decades in power
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Saturday sought nomination for a seventh term, a move that would bring him closer to five decades in power in the East African country. Museveni, 80, has defied calls for his retirement, as critics warn that he has veered into authoritarianism with virtually no opposition, including within his governing National Resistance Movement party. He was welcomed by a large crowd of supporters as he went to collect nomination papers from the party's offices in Kampala, the capital. He said in a speech to his followers that, if reelected, one of his goals is to fight official corruption. 'In this time I want us really to wipe out corruption,' he said. Museveni first took power as head of a rebel force in 1986. He has since been elected six times, though recent elections have been marred by violence and allegations of vote rigging. His main opponent in the last election was the popular entertainer known as Bobi Wine, who has also declared his candidacy in the polls set for January. Wine, whose real name is Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, has seen many associates jailed or go into hiding as security forces cracked down on opposition supporters. Museveni has dismissed Wine as 'an agent of foreign interests' who can't be trusted with power. Wine has been arrested many times on various charges, but has never been convicted. He insists he's running a nonviolent campaign. Decades ago, Museveni himself had criticized African leaders who overstayed their welcome in office. In Uganda, lawmakers did the same thing for him when they jettisoned the last constitutional obstacle — age limits — for a possible life presidency. His son, army chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has asserted his wish to succeed his father, raising fears of hereditary rule. A long-time opposition leader, Kizza Besigye, has been jailed since November over alleged treason charges his lawyers say are politically motivated. Besigye, a physician who retired from Uganda's military at the rank of colonel, is a former president of the Forum for Democratic Change party, for many years Uganda's most prominent opposition group. The East African country has never seen a peaceful transfer of power since independence from Britain in 1962.
Business Insider
7 hours ago
- Business Insider
US brokers Congo–Rwanda peace deal without clear troop withdrawal terms
The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda have signed a peace agreement brokered by the United States in Washington, aiming to address the protracted conflict in eastern Congo that has displaced hundreds of thousands and strained regional relations. The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda signed a U.S.-brokered peace agreement to address the conflict in eastern Congo. The deal was signed in Washington and involves respect for territorial integrity and the return of displaced persons. A point of contention is the presence of Rwandan troops in the region, with differing interpretations of withdrawal terms. The deal was signed on Friday by the foreign ministers of both countries, alongside representatives from the United States and Qatar. While the full content of the agreement has not been made public, a previous statement referenced ' provisions on respect for territorial integrity and a prohibition of hostilities,' as well as the facilitation of the return of refugees and internally displaced persons. However, a major point of contention remains: the presence of Rwandan troops in eastern Congo. Rwanda, which has at least 7,000 soldiers on Congolese soil, emphasized that terms like 'Rwanda Defense Force,' 'Rwandan troops,' or 'withdrawal' do not appear in the signed document. 'The words 'Rwanda Defense Force,' 'Rwandan troops' or 'withdrawal' are nowhere to be seen in the document,' Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe said in a statement a day before the signing. He also condemned the leak of a draft version of the agreement, calling for confidentiality. DRC, Rwanda clarifies agreement terms Meanwhile, the office of Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi stated that the agreement ' does indeed provide for the withdrawal of Rwandan troops, ' though it prefers the term 'disengagement,' calling it a more comprehensive concept. Rwandan government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo told Reuters that any 'lifting of defensive measures in our border area' would depend on the ' neutralization ' of the FDLR. The conflict has deep roots. The M23 rebel group, one of the key actors today, emerged from a failed peace deal 16 years ago. Last year, Rwandan and Congolese experts agreed twice under Angolan mediation to a plan for troop withdrawal and joint action against the FDLR. However, the deal was never endorsed by ministers from both countries, and Angola eventually stepped down as mediator in March. Rwanda denies backing the M23, despite widespread accusations, and instead accuses Kinshasa of supporting the FDLR, a militia made up largely of Hutus linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide. The Congolese government denies this claim.
New York Post
7 hours ago
- New York Post
Rwanda, Congo sign US-brokered peace deal to end fighting that killed thousands
Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo signed a U.S.-brokered peace agreement on Friday, raising hopes for an end to fighting that has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands more this year. The agreement marks a breakthrough in talks held by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration and aims to attract billions of dollars of Western investment to a region rich in tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper, lithium, and other minerals. At a ceremony with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, the two African countries' foreign ministers signed the agreement pledging to implement a 2024 deal that would see Rwandan troops withdraw from eastern Congo within 90 days, according to a copy seen by Reuters. Advertisement 6 President Trump met with the foreign ministers of Rwanda and the DRC in the Oval Office on June 27, 2025. Kinshasa and Kigali will also launch a regional economic integration framework within 90 days, the agreement said. 'They were going at it for many years, and with machetes – it is one of the worst, one of the worst wars that anyone has ever seen. And I just happened to have somebody that was able to get it settled,' Trump said on Friday, ahead of the signing of the deal in Washington. Advertisement 'We're getting, for the United States, a lot of the mineral rights from the Congo as part of it. They're so honored to be here. They never thought they'd be coming.' Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe called the agreement a turning point. Congo Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner said it must be followed by disengagement. 6 Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo signed a U.S.-brokered peace agreement on Friday, raising hopes for an end to fighting that has killed thousands this year. Getty Images 6 Hundreds of thousands have been displaced since the fighting this year, according to reports. REUTERS Advertisement Trump later met both officials in the Oval Office, where he presented them with letters inviting Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, to Washington to sign a package of agreements that Massad Boulos, Trump's senior adviser for Africa, dubbed the 'Washington Accord'. Nduhungirehe told Trump that past deals had not been implemented and urged Trump to stay engaged. Trump warned of 'very severe penalties, financial and otherwise', if the agreement is violated. Rwanda has sent at least 7,000 soldiers over the border, according to analysts and diplomats, in support of the M23 rebels, who seized eastern Congo's two largest cities and lucrative mining areas in a lightning advance earlier this year. Advertisement 6 At a ceremony with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, the two African countries' foreign ministers signed the agreement pledging to implement a 2024 deal that would see Rwandan troops withdraw from eastern Congo within 90 days, according to reports. AFP via Getty Images The gains by M23, the latest cycle in a decades-old conflict with roots in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, sparked fears that a wider war could draw in Congo's neighbours. ECONOMIC DEALS Boulos told Reuters in May that Washington wanted the peace agreement and accompanying minerals deals to be signed simultaneously this summer. Rubio said on Friday that heads of state would be 'here in Washington in a few weeks to finalize the complete protocol and agreement.' However, the agreement signed on Friday gives Congo and Rwanda three months to launch a framework 'to expand foreign trade and investment derived from regional critical mineral supply chains.' A source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday that another agreement on the framework would be signed by the heads of state at a separate White House event at an unspecified time. There is an understanding that progress in ongoing talks in Doha – a separate but parallel mediation effort with delegations from the Congolese government and M23 – is essential before the signing of the economic framework, the source said. Advertisement The agreement signed on Friday voiced 'full support' for the Qatar-hosted talks. It also says Congo and Rwanda will form a joint security coordination mechanism within 30 days and implement a plan agreed last year to monitor and verify the withdrawal of Rwandan soldiers within three months. Congolese military operations targeting the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a Congo-based armed group that includes remnants of Rwanda's former army and militias that carried out the 1994 genocide, are meant to conclude over the same timeframe. Reuters reported on Thursday that Congolese negotiators had dropped an earlier demand that Rwandan troops immediately leave eastern Congo, paving the way for the signing ceremony on Friday. Advertisement Congo, the United Nations, and Western powers say Rwanda is supporting M23 by sending troops and arms. 6 Rubio said on Friday that heads of state would be 'here in Washington in a few weeks to finalize the complete protocol and agreement.' AFP via Getty Images Rwanda has long denied helping M23, saying its forces are acting in self-defence against Congo's army and ethnic Hutu militiamen linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, including the FDLR. 'This is the best chance we have at a peace process for the moment despite all the challenges and flaws,' said Jason Stearns, a political scientist at Simon Fraser University in Canada who specialises in Africa's Great Lakes region. Advertisement Similar formulas have been attempted before, Stearns added, and 'it will be up to the U.S., as they are the godfather of this deal, to make sure both sides abide by the terms.' 6 Trump signs a letter of congratulations as he meets with Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Rwanda, Olivier Nduhungirehe, and the Foreign Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, in the Oval Office on June 27, 2025. Getty Images The agreement signed on Friday says Rwanda and Congo will de-risk mineral supply chains and establish value chains 'that link both countries, in partnership, as appropriate, with the U.S. and U.S. investors.' Advertisement The terms carry 'a strategic message: securing the east also means securing investments,' said Tresor Kibangula, a political analyst at Congo's Ebuteli research institute. 'It remains to be seen whether this economic logic will suffice' to end the fighting, he added.
