Rwanda has withdrawn from Central Africa’s main economic bloc, accusing the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) of siding with the Democratic Republic of Congo amid ongoing conflict in eastern DRC.
The decision followed ECCAS leaders’ move Saturday to extend Equatorial Guinea’s presidency for another year, bypassing Rwanda, which was next in line for the rotating post.
Since January, M23 rebels, whom U.N. and U.S. experts say receive support from Rwanda, have seized key towns and large areas in eastern DRC, fueling a conflict that has claimed thousands of lives.
An ECCAS commissioner, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said “it was tense between the Rwandan and DRC ministers,” adding that the Congolese side warned they would not be able to travel to Rwanda for “community events” if Kigali assumed the presidency.
Belgium, the former colonial power in both countries, has joined other international critics in denouncing Kigali’s support for M23, a group accused of committing multiple abuses.
Rwanda said in a statement Saturday that it deplored an “instrumentalization” of the bloc by the DRC with the support of “certain member states.”
“Consequently, Rwanda sees no justification for remaining in an organization whose current functioning runs counter to its founding principles and intended purpose,” said a statement from Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Rwanda’s Foreign Minister, Olivier Nduhungirehe, said on X that it was “unbelievable and unacceptable” that despite ongoing diplomatic talks between Kigali and Kinshasa, the DRC “is still whining around in all regional and international organizations accusing Rwanda for its own turpitudes, not to mention crying out for sanctions.”
The presidents of Rwanda and the DRC, Paul Kagame and Félix Tshisekedi, met in Qatar in mid-March to discuss a possible cease-fire.
The two countries are also involved in talks brokered by the United States.
