DRC : Félix Tshisekedi opposes negotiation with the M23
The position of President Félix Tshisekedi remains firm and unchanged.
On Saturday, February 17, 2024, the President reiterated his country’s stance of never negotiating with Rwanda through the M23, during his intervention at the mini-summit on the security situation in the east held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, according to an official source.
« We will never negotiate with the M23 », declared Félix Tshisekedi.
For the President, « this war is not an invention of the DRC. It is a war to continue the plunder of my country and to make Rwanda and its accomplices happy », explained the Congolese Head of State, before adding, « One cannot claim to become the protector of a community from a neighboring country ».
According to Tshisekedi, the peace desired by the DRC must not be conditioned in any way. « I want peace, but not at any price » ; he emphasized.
This mini-summit of heads of state, which began on Friday evening, continued on Saturday in a bilateral format. « The mediator and organizer of the summit, João Lourenço, separately met with Presidents Félix Tshisekedi and Paul Kagame », the source added, specifying that at the start of this meeting, the two heads of state sitting at the ends of the room did not greet each other, and the protocol did not include a family photo.
The objective of this summit is to collectively reflect on obtaining a ceasefire between the DRC and the M23 and to attempt a possible direct dialogue between the Presidents of Rwanda and the DRC, as the situation is deteriorating.
President Lourenço stated that he will continue his mediation with each of the parties in Luanda in the same separate bilateral format, in order to reach a favorable outcome on this matter. The Angolan Head of State also advocated for efforts to improve relations between the fraternal peoples of the DRC and Rwanda.
