The M23 rebels have announced a ceasefire effective from Tuesday, a declaration that aims to halt the ongoing violence in the eastern city of Goma, which has recently seen devastating clashes resulting in the deaths of at least 900 people. This news comes on the heels of a grim report from the UN health agency, highlighting the toll of last week’s brutal fighting between M23 forces and Congolese government troops.
While the situation in Goma—home to over a million residents—has reportedly calmed, concerns linger as M23 forces shift their focus to the neighbouring province of South Kivu, raising alarms about a potential advance towards Bukavu, the provincial capital.
In a statement released late Monday, the political-military coalition known as the Alliance Fleuve Congo, which encompasses the M23 group, affirmed its commitment to implementing a ceasefire for “humanitarian reasons”. This declaration, however, also comes with assurances that they have “no intention of taking control of Bukavu or other localities”. This stands in stark contrast to previous M23 declarations, wherein the group expressed an ambition to escalate their campaign towards Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The recent history of conflict in the region is fraught with false hopes; over the past three years, multiple ceasefires and truces have been declared, only to dissolve into further violence. This recent announcement may be seen as yet another fleeting attempt to curb fighting, yet the commitment shown by the rebels, coming just before an urgent summit, could evoke a cautious optimism.
On the horizon, a significant meeting between Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame is scheduled to take place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on Saturday. This summit is being facilitated by the Kenyan presidency and aligns with calls from 16 southern African nations for collaborative dialogue amid fears of a broader regional conflict. Both the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have expressed unease over escalating regional tensions, particularly pertinent given a UN expert report claiming that Rwanda maintains a covert military presence in the DRC.
As President Tshisekedi prepares for this high-stakes summit, he has vowed a “vigorous” military response, while simultaneously calling on the international community to impose sanctions against Rwanda for its alleged involvement in the conflict.