EU Calls On Rwandan Government To Stop Supporting M23 Rebel Group

The European Union (EU) on Saturday called on the Rwandan government to cease support to the M23 rebel group, which has took control of swathes of territory in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) North Kivu province, reported The VOA News.

The DRC, the United States and several European countries have repeatedly accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels, although Kigali denies the charge.

After staying dormant for several months, the M23 group has advanced to within a few dozen kilometres of North Kivu’s capital Goma in the last few months.

On Saturday, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the European bloc had urged Rwanda to stop supporting the M23 and use all means to force the M23 to comply with the decisions taken by the East African Community (EAC) at a November summit in Angola.

“It also firmly urges all states of the region to prevent the provision of any support to armed groups active in the DRC,” said Borrell.

Amid heavy international pressure, the M23 group last week announced its withdrawal from the strategic town of Kibumba and handed over it to an East African military force as a goodwill gesture for peace. But, the DR Congo’s army promptly dubbed the Kibumba handover a sham.

The Rwandan government, on the other hand, has accused the DRC, where presidential elections are scheduled for next December, of using the conflict for political purposes as well as fabricating a November massacre of at least 131 civilians.

The EU official also called on Kinshasa to take all measures necessary to protect the civilian population in its territory.

In his New Year’s address on Saturday, Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame said the security situation in Eastern Congo is worse than ever despite spending tens of billions of dollars on peacekeeping over the past two decades.

“To explain this failure, some in the international community blame Rwanda, even though they know very well that the true responsibility lies primarily with the government of the DRC,” Kagame said. “It is high time that the unwarranted vilification of Rwanda stopped.”