Rwanda, M23 likely seek more Congo territory despite Qatar talks - analyst

Record ID: 1986604

  • Title: Rwanda, M23 likely seek more Congo territory despite Qatar talks - analyst
  • Date: 25th March 2025
  • Summary: ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA (MARCH 25, 2025) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) CONGO ANALYST AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY, JASON STEARNS, SAYING: "The Rwandans thought the Angolans were too close to the Congolese. And so it was clear, I think, for some time, that the status of the mediator was a problem. And I think that's why you now see the process now bein
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: angola armies conflict congo democratic diplomacy foreign government insurgencies lawmakers m23 military peace policy politics qatar republic rwanda security war
  • Location: VARIOUS
  • City: VARIOUS
  • Country: Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  • Topics: Africa,Conflicts/War/Peace,Military Conflicts
  • Reuters ID: LVA002148525032025RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Rwanda and M23 rebels are likely seeking to expand their control in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to gain leverage in future negotiations, a Congo analyst said on Tuesday (March 25), despite recent Qatar-hosted peace talks and mounting international pressure.
    Southern and Eastern African countries on Monday expanded a team of former heads of state to oversee peace efforts in eastern Congo. The conflict, rooted in the 1994 Rwandan genocide fallout and mineral resource competition, has intensified since January, with M23 rebels seizing eastern Congo's two largest cities.
    Jason Stearns, associate professor at Simon Fraser University, said Rwanda and M23 have national demands difficult to achieve with current holdings. He said they need to appear engaged in the peace process but may not be genuinely committed, creating a challenge for Rwanda's leadership in maintaining its safe, stable image while involved in a conflict displacing millions.
    M23 has dismissed ceasefire calls despite recent talks in Qatar between Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame. The conflict has drawn in armies from Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi, threatening broader regional escalation.
    (Production: Cooper Inveen)
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