Leaders from eastern and southern Africa have called for an immediate ceasefire in eastern Congo, where rebels from the M23 group are threatening to overthrow the Congolese government. The summit, held on Saturday in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, also urged Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi to engage directly in negotiations with the rebels, despite his firm stance against such talks in the past.
President Tshisekedi, who attended the summit via videoconference, has previously rejected any dialogue with the M23 rebels, whom he accuses of being driven by a desire to exploit Congo’s rich mineral resources, particularly in the volatile eastern region. However, the summit’s final communiqué called for “direct negotiations and dialogue with all state and non-state parties,” which included the M23 rebel group, and emphasized the need to resolve the ongoing conflict through peaceful means.
The M23 rebels, backed by approximately 4,000 troops from neighboring Rwanda according to U.N. experts, recently seized Goma, the largest city in eastern Congo, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis. The violence has led to nearly 3,000 deaths and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people, according to U.N. estimates. The rebel group’s territorial gains are now threatening Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, and escalating tensions in the region.
The summit saw the participation of various leaders, including Rwandan President Paul Kagame and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. South Africa, a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), deployed troops to the region under the SADC banner to fight alongside Congolese forces against the M23 rebels. Rwanda, however, has criticized the SADC’s involvement, claiming that the peacekeepers are not acting impartially but rather supporting Congolese forces in their fight against the rebels. Kagame also accused the Congolese government of not addressing the grievances of Congolese Tutsis, who face discrimination.
Kenyan President William Ruto, the current chair of the East African Community (EAC), attended the summit and stressed the importance of dialogue. He urged all parties involved to engage with “wisdom, clarity of mind, and empathy.” “Dialogue is not a sign of weakness,” Ruto emphasized, calling for a constructive approach to address the complex situation.
The M23 rebellion is rooted in historical tensions between Rwanda and Congo, especially regarding the presence of rebel groups opposed to the Rwandan government operating in Congo’s eastern regions. Rwanda has long accused Congo of failing to curb these armed groups, which have operated in the lawless areas of the eastern provinces for decades. The current conflict follows the rebels’ previous capture of Goma in 2012 and a breakdown of a ceasefire agreement brokered by Angola in 2024.
Regional analysts have warned that the M23’s offensive is becoming more dangerous as it gains momentum. The rebels have stated that their struggle is not just about territorial control but about wider demands for better governance, and they have pledged to march all the way to Kinshasa, the capital of Congo, located 1,600 kilometers west of Goma.
In an open letter to the summit, the Congo River Alliance, a coalition of rebel groups including M23, claimed they were fighting against a government that has “flouted republican norms” and “become a danger to the Congolese people.” The letter, signed by rebel leader Corneille Nangaa, insisted that their revolution was national and included people of all ethnic and community backgrounds, including Congolese citizens who speak Kinyarwanda.
Despite the rebels’ call for dialogue, they are also under pressure to withdraw from Goma. The summit in Dar es Salaam demanded that foreign armed groups “uninvited” into Congo’s territory, including Rwandan troops, pull out immediately. It also called for the reopening of the Goma airport to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid to affected populations.
The Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) also joined in the calls for peace, with a meeting in Equatorial Guinea on Friday urging the immediate withdrawal of Rwandan troops from Congo and stressing the importance of reopening the Goma airport to facilitate humanitarian access.
As tensions continue to rise, the international community is watching closely to see whether the summit’s calls for dialogue and a ceasefire will be heeded or whether the situation in eastern Congo will escalate further into a full-scale regional conflict.
