The Gulf state said it is following the developments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and has called for resolving differences through peaceful means.
Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has expressed its deep concerns surrounding recent attacks by protesters in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) against several foreign missions in the capital Kinshasa.
In a statement, Doha called upon on all parties to “exercise restrain” and to “resolve differences through dialogue and peaceful means”.
On Tuesday, demonstrators in DRC’s capital stormed several embassies and started fires in protest against Rwanda’s alleged support of the March 23rd Movement (M23) rebels, who launched an offensive in the DRC’s east.
The rebels seized an airport in the eastern provincial capital Goma after storming the city on Monday, marking the worst escalation between the DRC and Rwanda since 2012, when the group took control of Goma and several other cities.
Protesters in Kinshasa targeted the embassies of France, Belgium, the Netherlands, the United States, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and the United Nations (UN), accusing them of “inaction” and being complicit in Rwanda’s alleged support of the M23 fighters and the conflict in Goma.
Qatar emphasised “the importance of providing full protection to diplomatic missions and their personnel”, in line with the core principles of international agreements and diplomatic norms.
“The Ministry also reaffirms Qatar’s full support for all regional and international efforts aimed at restoring security and stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” the statement said.
The Gulf state also expressed its deep sorrow over the deaths and injuries of UN mission members in the Congo, offering its condolences to the victims’ families and to the governments of South Africa and Uruguay.
Peace talks fell through
The Central African nations have been involved in a deadly conflict for the past three decades with tensions dating back to the 1994 Rwandan genocide against the Tutsi.
During the genocide, Hutu militias attacked Tutsis and moderate Hutus, killing 500,000 to 800,000 people. The violence forced millions to flee Rwanda, many seeking refuge in eastern DRC.
From the late 1990s to 2003, the Second Congo War, also known as Africa’s World War, broke out between Rwanda and the DRC.
In January 2023, Qatar attempted to host peace talks between the Congo and Rwanda to bring an end to ongoing tensions between the two nations.
The peace meeting fell through as at the time, as conflicting reports at the time claimed that the DRC’s Felix Tshisekedi never showed up.