The outcome of the SADC (Southern African Development Community) Extraordinary Summit has rubbed Rwanda the wrong way. Rwanda is particularly concerned that SADC insisted that its government and the Rwanda Defense Forces are directly involved in the fight against the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo alongside M23 rebels.
In rejecting the accusations against the RDF, Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said “The RDF defends Rwanda’s borders from threats and protects civilians, it does not attack Civilians.”
The new statement issued by the Foreign Affairs Minister, The outcome of the SADC (Southern African Development Community) Extraordinary Summit has rubbed Rwanda the wrong way.
Rwanda is particularly concerned that SADC insisted that its government and the Rwanda Defense Forces are directly involved in the fight against the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo alongside M23 rebels. In rejecting the accusations against the RDF, Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said “The RDF defends Rwanda’s borders from threats and protects civilians, it does not attack Civilians.”
The new statement issued by Foreign Affairs Minister, Olivier Nduhungirehe, Rwamda reiterates the accusation of SADC Mission in DRC (SAMIDRIC) and DRC forces attacking Congolese. “SADC has deployed an offensive force, SAMIDRC, to support the war of the Government of DRC against its people -the M23 and the members of their community – many of who have fled as refugees to Rwanda and throughout the region,” says the statement.
The statement claims that the government of the DRC is also bent on attacking Rwanda and overthrowing its government, and says that this has been repeatedly and publicly stated by President Tshisekedi. “It is clear that SAMIDRC together with coalition partners that include the Burundian armed forces, the FDLR, and European mercenaries are central to the conflict, and should not be there because they are adding to the problems that already existed.”
Kigali also argues that the claims that SAMIDRC was invited by the Government of the DRC are rendered void because they are there to fight the citizens of that country, “and effectively bring war to Rwanda.” It adds that there is new evidence from the M23 new positions in Goma to show the wider objectives of SADC DRC and FDLR to overthrow the Kagame regime.
“Recent information coming from Goma on what has been discovered, and the documentary evidence of attack preparations planned together with the foreign forces fighting in eastern DRC, including the FDLR, indicate that combat objectives were not limited to defeating M23, but also attacking Rwanda.” Kigali also stated that it supports and welcomes the proposed joint summit of the East African Community and SADC, adding that it has consistently advocated for a political solution to the ongoing conflict.
The SADC Summit also called for an immediate joint Summit with the East African Community on the way forward on the security situation in the DRC as proposed by the 24th Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State of the EAC. At the SADC Summit, the leaders “noted with concern the recent attacks by the M23 armed group and Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) on the Government Forces of DRC, the SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC), and the civilian population in various areas of North Kivu.”
The summit was attended by the presidents of DRC, Zimbabwe (the Chairperson), South Africa, Zambia, Mozambique, Madagascar, Botswana and Tanzania and representatives from Lesotho, Eswatini, Angola, Malawi and Namibia. It came just after Rwanda President Paul Kagame accused South Africa and SADC of deciding to ally with the DRC government and the FDLR militia to fight against the civilians of DRC who were fighting for their rights.
He accused them of being the cause of the fall of Goma City in the east of DRC, and told off President Ramaphosa to “stop threats against Kigali”. Now, the new statement issued by Foreign Affairs Minister, Olivier Nduhungirehe, Rwanda reiterates the accusation of the SADC Mission in DRC (SAMIDRIC) and DRC forces attacking the Congolese.
“SADC has deployed an offensive force, SAMIDRC, to support the war of the Government of DRC against its people -the M23 and the members of their community – many of who have fled as refugees to Rwanda and throughout the region,” says the statement. Kigali also stated that it supports and welcomes the proposed joint summit of the East African Community and SADC, adding that it has consistently advocated for a political solution to the ongoing conflict.