The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Félix Tshisekedi physically missed today’s high-stakes joint South African Development Community (SADC), and East African Community (EAC) Summit, where regional leaders led by President William Ruto are meeting to discuss the escalating crisis in eastern DRC.
President Ruto is co-chairing the EAC-SADC Summit in Dar es Salam Tanzania on the Eastern DRC conflict as a standoff between government forces and M23 Rebels persists.
The head of state, acting as the EAC chair, resolved to hold the joint summit following a consultative meeting with President Emerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe.
While confirming this schedule, Ruto on February 4 stated that Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan graciously agreed to host the summit to deliberate on the situation in Eastern DRC.
The Head of state further stated that he consulted President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, and President Hassan Sheik Mohamud of Somalia.
According to a statement released by State House, DRC’s president Felix Tshisekedi who skipped both the EAC and SADC meetings last week confirmed attendance.
Tshisekedi snubs EAC-SADC Summit
However, the DRC President physically skipped the meeting and instead sent Prime Minister Judith Suminwa to attend the summit on his behalf.
Suminwa arrived in Tanzania Saturday morning while reports indicate that Tshisekedi is attending the meeting virtually after skipping the in-person meeting.
President Joao Lourenco of Angola, who leads the crucial Luanda Process aimed at reconciling Presidents Tshisekedi and Paul Kagame of Rwanda, also snubbed the meeting.
Lourenco is being represented by Angola’s top diplomat Tete Antonio, Minister of External Relations.
Ruto in his opening remarks of the summit highlighted that the solution to the Congolese crisis lies in diplomacy, not military action.
“Our presence here proves our consensus that the time for action is now,” he said. “Dialogue is not weakness.”
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Tshisekedi’s decision to skip the summit has raised concerns regarding his commitment to direct engagement in resolving the crisis.
His absence follows his non-participation in a recent virtual EAC summit, during which President Museveni of Uganda suggested an in-person dialogue between Tshisekedi and other regional leaders.
During that virtual summit, EAC leaders urged Tshisekedi to engage in direct talks with armed groups, particularly the M23 rebels, as part of efforts to reach a political solution.
The Congolese government has, however, repeatedly refused negotiations with M23, labelling the group as a terrorist organization allegedly supported by Rwanda.
Also Read: Kenya Clears Air on Ruto Being Part of DRC Problems
The EAC-SADC summit was preceded by a ministerial meeting on Friday. However, only 12 out of 24 member states showed up for the joint meeting in Dar es Salaam.
Attending countries included Kenya, Zimbabwe, Angola, Zambia, Tanzania, Somalia, South Africa, Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan, Burundi, and Malawi.
Notably, DRC snubbed the talks sending its ambassador to Botswana and SADC instead of a minister.
M23 rebels capture DRC city of Goma
Relations between Kinshasa and the EAC have soured over the past two years, with Kinshasa repeatedly accusing Rwanda of backing the M23, who recently captured Goma, North Kivu’s capital.
Last week, the US Embassy in DRC’s Capital Kinshasa issued a travel alert advising its citizens to leave the country immediately.
“The US Embassy in Kinshasa is further using the number of us Personnel working in the embassy. The embassy advises US citizens in the DC to depart immediately,” read part of the alert.
As tension continues to grip the Eastern Congo, M23 Rebels earlier this week declared a ceasefire for humanitarian intervention.
The alliance added that it has no intention of capturing South Congo’s Capital Bukavu after it seized Congo’s largest eastern city of Goma.
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