Both Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are set to attend a fifth ministerial meeting on October 12, 2024, aimed at addressing the ongoing tensions and stalled Luanda peace process.
In the lead-up to this meeting, Rwanda’s Foreign Minister, Olivier Nduhungirehe, publicly challenged the DRC’s narrative regarding the impasse, addressing what he described as misinformation circulated by DRC officials and releasing signed official documents to clarify the situation.
This diplomatic exchange follows recent statements made by DRC Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner and government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya, who accused Rwanda of obstructing the peace talks aimed at resolving the conflict in eastern Congo.
Kayikwamba claimed that Rwanda was responsible for the deadlock by rejecting a “responsibility clause” and a “regional justice mechanism” during her address to the United Nations.
The report from the Luanda meeting, which Nduhungirehe shared, highlights the DRC’s refusal to adopt a harmonized plan for neutralizing the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). This plan had been agreed upon by military experts from both countries in a meeting held in Rubavu, Rwanda, on August 29-30, 2024.
While Rwanda approved the plan, the DRC opposed it during the September meeting, insisting on the simultaneous execution of both FDLR neutralization and the withdrawal of military forces.
In response to the DRC’s accusations, Nduhungirehe criticized the DRC for misleading the international community and manipulating the narrative to present itself as a victim in the peace process. He addressed Muyaya directly, emphasizing that the documents from the Luanda meeting do not mention the “responsibility clause” or “regional justice mechanism” as reasons for the deadlock.
Instead, the DRC’s opposition to the harmonized plan was identified as the main obstacle.
This public release of documents marks a significant moment in the diplomatic exchange between the two countries, as Rwanda aims to counter what it views as the DRC’s long-standing strategy of misinformation.
Congolese officials have often portrayed the DRC as a victim of foreign interference, particularly by Rwanda, which has, in turn, garnered international sympathy.
Nduhungirehe’s decision to release official records from the peace process has highlighted inconsistencies in the DRC’s narrative. The documents reveal that the DRC had agreed to key elements of the harmonized plan during earlier meetings but later reversed its position, surprising Rwandan and Angolan officials.
Initially, Patrick Muyaya supported Kayikwamba’s diplomatic stance but now finds his position increasingly challenged in light of the released documents. Nduhungirehe underscored the importance of transparency in diplomacy, contrasting Rwanda’s “active diplomacy” with what he described as the DRC’s “fleeing diplomacy.”
The core of the dispute revolves around the differing strategies both countries have taken to resolve the security crisis in eastern Congo. Rwanda has consistently advocated for the neutralization of the FDLR as a prerequisite for peace while pushing for direct political dialogue between the DRC government and the M23 rebel group.
The DRC has resisted these measures, instead advocating for broader regional mechanisms for accountability and justice.
As both countries prepare for the fifth ministerial meeting on October 12, 2024, the prospects for peace in eastern Congo remain uncertain.
