By
APNEWS.COM
East Africa’s leaders have responded to the threat
of war between Rwanda and Congo by instructing a new regional force to deploy
in eastern Congo and ordering an immediate cease-fire.
EAC heads of state during a meeting at State House-Nairobi [Twitter/@UrugwiroVillage]
A statement after the leaders’ meeting in Kenya’s
capital, Nairobi, didn’t give details on the date of the force’s deployment or
its composition. Congo’s presidency later tweeted that the force should be
operational in the coming weeks but shouldn’t include Rwandan troops. The
presidents of both countries attended Monday.
The regional heads of state adopted “for immediate
implementation” the status of forces agreement, the concept of operations and
rules of engagement, the statement said. The heads of state told the force to
cooperate with Congolese forces to stabilize the region.
There was no direct mention of Rwanda, which Congo has
accused of supporting the M23 rebel group that has carried out renewed attacks
in recent months. The statement noted the “presence of foreign negative
elements” as a critical issue. Rwanda has long denied supporting the M23
rebels, who captured a key town in eastern Congo last week.
Asked after Monday’s meeting whether Rwanda would
contribute troops to the regional force in eastern Congo, deputy government
spokesman Alain Mukurarinda said he needed to check with the president’s
office. Congo is not the one who chooses who should deploy or not, he added.
Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi on Friday accused
Rwanda of trying to occupy his country’s land for its vast mineral wealth,
hours after Rwanda said a Congolese soldier had crossed the border and begun
shooting at Rwandan security forces and civilians before being shot dead.
Congo’s president has also called on international
leaders, including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, to step up the
pressure on Rwanda when it hosts the Commonwealth summit this week.
Each side has accused the other of incursions. Congo now
seeks to suspend all agreements with Rwanda. Rwanda’s state minister for
foreign affairs in charge of East African matters, Manasseh Nshuti, has said
dialogue “is the solution” to the issues.
Dynamics in eastern Congo “were already strained” by
Congo and neighbouring Uganda carrying out a joint operation there against
another rebel group, the Allied Democratic Forces, according to a new report by
the U.N. panel of experts on Congo. Both Uganda and Rwanda have long been
accused of backing rebels and pursuing some of the region’s rich mineral
wealth, including gold.
