NEWS- The African Union has welcomed talks between the heads of states of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as fighting rages on in the mineral-rich east of the country.
The meeting that took place on Tuesday in the Qatari capital, Doha, was chaired by Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Than.
According to a statement issued by the African Union Chairperson Mahamoud Ali Youssouf he commended the two countries for their commitment to dialogue and urged all parties to maintain the momentum.
Ali Youssouf noted that the African Union remains resolute in its support for African-led solutions to African challenges and the Doha discussions, held in a spirit of constructive engagement, align with these efforts and complement ongoing regional mechanisms.
This comes after the Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi Thilombo and his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, met in Doha on Tuesday to hold direct talks for the first time since Rwanda-backed M23 rebels seized two major cities in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo this year.
The leaders issued a statement that called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire Andrew details of whose implementation will be clarified in the coming days.
The talks in the Doha took place after M23 representatives pulled out of a planned meeting with DRC officials in Angola on Tuesday after the European Union imposed sanctions on some of the group’s senior members, including leader Bertrand Bisimwa. The EU also sanctioned three Rwandan military commanders and the country’s mining agency chief, citing support for M23.
M23 is one of more than 200 armed groups vying for control over territory in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, which is rich in precious minerals such as cobalt. The Congolese government, the United States and a group of United Nations experts accused Rwanda of backing M23, an allegation that Kigali denies.
After being dormant for more than a decade, the group resumed its offensive in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in 2022 and escalated its attacks in January, seizing the strategic city of Goma, followed by Bukavu in February.
According to the UN the war in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises with nearly 7 million people, including at least 3.5 million children.
