French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking at the close of the Francophonie Summit in Paris on Saturday, called for the “withdrawal of the M23 and Rwandan troops” from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a region plagued by a conflict since the resurgence of the Tutsi-majority M23 rebellion in 2021. Both the DRC and a UN group of experts have accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels, who have seized large portions of the mineral-rich area—allegations that Rwanda denies.
Tensions at the summit escalated when Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and his delegation abruptly left on Friday, frustrated that Macron’s opening remarks addressed global crises, including Lebanon and Armenia, but failed to mention the ongoing conflict in the DRC, which is the largest member of the Francophonie organization.
In his speech, Macron also called for the dismantling of the FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda), a Rwandan rebel group made up of former Hutu leaders responsible for the 1994 genocide of Tutsis in Rwanda. The FDLR, which has operated from the DRC since then, remains a perceived threat to Rwanda’s borders.
Macron urged for a “political process” to resume with the M23 and other political factions to restore full sovereignty and territorial integrity to the DRC. However, he acknowledged that efforts to organize a trilateral meeting to push for a peace agreement, under Angolan mediation, did not materialize. Instead, bilateral discussions took place separately, with Macron explaining that tensions between the two sides remain high, but continued diplomatic efforts are “essential” for peace.
Still on the same Saturday, October 5, the head of Rwandan diplomacy, Olivier Nduhungirehe, accused the DRC of having derailed the peace discussions in Luanda.