DR Congo President Tshisekedi gets a call from U.S Secretary of State, Blinken on Kivu conflicts
President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo has received a phone call from the U.S Secretary of State, Anthony John Blinken and the two leaders discussed the situation in Eastern DRC.
The Spokesperson for the United States Department of State Matthew Alan Miller revealed that the U.S Secretary of State, Blinken appreciated the DR Congo President, Tshisekedi’s commitment to the Luanda Process.
Led by the Angolan President João Lourenço, the Luanda Process is the joint initiative aimed at defusing tensions between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and bringing peace to east DRC by suppressing the historical Kivu conflicts.
Secretary Blinken thanked Tshisekedi for his willingness to engage in talks on December 15 and reiterated the United States position that the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group and the Rwandan Defense Forces must cease hostilities and withdraw from their positions in eastern parts of DR Congo.
The U.S Secretary of State encouraged President Tshisekedi to move forward on plans to neutralize the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda armed group.
Anthony Blinken also welcomed President Tshisekedi’s collaboration with former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta who has offered his good offices on mediation with the Congolese Revolutionary Army (M23) Movement.
The March 23 (known as M23) and also branded as the Congolese Revolutionary Army (Armée révolutionnaire du Congo), is a rebel military group which is based in eastern areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, operating mostly in the province of North Kivu, which borders both Uganda and Rwanda, fighting against the Kinshasa government.
Angolan President Joao Lourenco was set to host President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame in a bid to ease tensions gripping the eastern parts of DR Congo.
However the Rwandan delegation did not turn up for the scheduled meeting and therefore the event was postponed to an unknown date.
But showing his willingness President Tshisekedi arrived in Luanda, the capital of Angola, for the December 15 summit and only managed to meet with President Lourenco.
The Rwandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation stated later that the ministerial meeting in Luanda failed to reach a consensus between Rwanda and the DRC regarding a commitment to direct talks with the Congolese rebel group M23.