In January 2023, Qatar attempted to host peace talks between DRC and Rwanda to resolve the ongoing tensions between the two countries that have been on the rise.
Qatar’s Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed Al-Khulaifi, held separate meetings with the leaders of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda over the weekend.
Al-Khulaifi first met Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame in Kigali on Friday, where both sides discussed bilateral relations and “ways to reduce tensions in the Great Lakes region,” according to a statement by Qatar’s foreign ministry.
“The Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed the State of Qatar’s full support for all regional and international efforts aimed at restoring security and stability in the region,” the statement added.
A separate meeting took place the following day in Kinshasa with DRC’s President Felix Tshisekedi.
“The meeting discussed cooperation relations between the two countries and ways to support and enhance them, as well as ways to de-escalate tensions in the Great Lakes region,” Qatar’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
In January 2023, Qatar attempted to host peace talks between DRC and Rwanda to resolve the ongoing tensions between the two countries that have been on the rise since 2022. However, conflicting reports at the time claimed that the meeting was not held allegedly due to a no-show by DRC’s leader.
The eastern side of DRC continues to be mired in one of the world’s deadliest crises, where renewed conflict with rebels from the March 23rd Movement (M23) has raged on. The United States and DRC have long accused the M23 of being backed by Rwanda—claims that Kigali repeatedly denied.
Qatar had attempted to return the parties to the Luanda Roadmap, which Rwanda and DRC signed following mediation by Angolan President Joao Lourenco in 2022.
At least 5.6 million Congolese are internally displaced with more than four million in the eastern provinces, according to the United Nations. More than 990,000 refugees and asylum seekers from DRC are scattered across the African continent.
Last week, rebels stormed the city of Goma in eastern DRC, and claimed capturing control of the area. At least 773 people have been killed, Reuters reported on Saturday, citing DRC’s health ministry.
Congolese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Therese Kayikwamba Wagner, told the United Nations last week that the situation in her country is not a mere conflict. She said the situation is “a declaration of war that no longer hides itself behind diplomatic manoeuvres”.