DRC: UN chief 'urges' M23 rebellion to respect ceasefire

UN chief Antonio Guterres on Monday (March 6) urged the M23 rebellion in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to abide by a truce that was supposed to come into effect on Tuesday and eventually withdraw from "occupied areas" in the country

DRC: UN chief 'urges' M23 rebellion to respect ceasefire

UN chief Antonio Guterres on Monday (March 6) urged the M23 rebellion in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to abide by a truce that was supposed to come into effect on Tuesday and eventually withdraw from "occupied areas" in the country. in conflict.

"The Secretary General urges the M23 to respect the ceasefire in order to create the necessary conditions for its full and effective withdrawal from all occupied areas in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in accordance with the decisions of the mini-summit of Luanda held on November 23,” Mr. Guterres’ spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, said during his press briefing. Mr. Guterres "condemns all violence against civilians and renews his call on all Congolese and foreign armed groups to lay down their arms and disarm unconditionally", he added.

The DRC has for years accused Rwanda of supporting this rebellion of the M23 - for "Movement of March 23", predominantly Tutsi - defeated in 2013 but which took up arms again to seize large territories of North Kivu since 2022, mineral-rich province. UN experts corroborated in the summer of 2022 this Rwandan support and Western states like the United States denounced it. Even if Kigali defends itself vigorously.

"Direct" military "aggression"

Visiting Kinshasa on Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron did not clearly condemn Rwanda, but he issued warnings. The DRC "must not be the spoils of war, the open looting (of the country) must stop. No plunder, no balkanization, no war! “, Hammered Mr. Macron alongside his Congolese counterpart Félix Tshisekedi, who once again denounced the” unjust and barbaric aggression “against the DRC.

In September 2022, at the UN General Assembly, Mr. Tshisekedi accused his Rwandan neighbour, led by Paul Kagame, of "direct" military "aggression" and "occupation" in eastern DRC. , via his alleged support for the M23.

Since then, under the aegis of the African Union and Angolan President Joao Lourenço, a de-escalation plan has been discussed and an appeal launched in Addis Ababa on February 17 by East Africa for a " withdrawal of all armed groups" from eastern DRC, by March 30. The date of March 7 was given last week by the Angolan mediator and Mr. Macron assured Kinshasa on Saturday that all had "provided clear support" for this truce on Tuesday.