President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo wants Rwanda to be slapped with sanctions simillar to those imposed against Russia for its special military operation in Ukraine.
The Congolese leader made the demands during a press briefing on Thursday in the capital Kinshasa where he repeatedly accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels who currently control vast parts of the Eastern province.
Tshisekedi described the sanctions taken so far as “insufficient” and invited the international community to avoid the policy of double standards.
Early this week, the United Nations sanctioned six new individuals, including members of the M23, the Twirwaneho group, the ADF and the FDLR as recommended by France, the United States and the United Kingdom.
However, the Congolese leader whose army is increasingly loosing to the M23 rebels is not satisfied with the sanctions which he wants to be accompanied by restrictive measures, otherwise the expected results will not be achieved.
“I believe, I have always said to the Secretary General of the United Nations, to all my interlocutors especially those whose countries are members of the Security Council, that our satisfaction will only be total when the Security Council of the Nations -United States will decide to take sanctions against Rwanda. Because for acts similar to those of Russia, a shower of sanctions has been decided. Why, in a case similar to that of Russia and Ukraine, it is there any sanction? So, as long as there is not that, all the resolutions for me will be, so to speak, “can do better”, as mentioned”, underlined Félix Tshisekedi during his intervention.
“The pressures must continue, that’s very good. But when the pressures are not accompanied by constraints, it risks tiring the person or institution targeted, and ultimately, it risks not producing the expected results. I believe that the pressures, yes, were quite strong, they provoked reactions, but that is not enough. It’s a good start, but as I said previously, if we had to give a mention, we would say “can do better “And we are only asking that from the international community: to do more,” added Félix Tshisekedi.
