Massad Boulos, US President Donald Trump's senior adviser for Africa has reaffirmed Washington’s position that “Rwanda should seize all military support of M23 and withdraw all Rwandan troops from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) territory,” Anadolu Agency reported.
The DRC and some Western countries including the EU and the US accuse neighboring Rwanda of backing the M23 rebel group. Rwanda, however, denies the allegations.
Speaking at an online news conference following his visit to the DRC, Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya, Boulos said he also discussed with Rwandan President Paul Kagame the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an armed group operating in the DRC whose members are blamed for the 1994 genocide.
Calling the risk of FDLR a “major element” of any peace deal, Boulos said: “Everybody has to feel comfortable with those terms, and they have to feel safe from any such threats, whether they are actual or perceived or any future threats.”
Since January, eastern Congo has been grappled with a security and humanitarian crisis following a fresh offensive by the M23 rebel group. The rebels have seized significant territory in the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu.
In March, Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame called for a ceasefire during surprise talks mediated by Qatar's emir in Doha.
The Central African country looks to reach a deal with the US to gain Washington’s support against rebel groups in exchange for its rich mineral reserves.
Boulos added that during his visit to Kinshasa, he discussed a mineral deal and outlined a “path forward” with President Tshisekedi.
He said boosting the US private sector investment in Congo, particularly in mining, is a shared goal to enhance both countries' prosperity.
“Of course, we need a more stable environment to achieve this objective,” Boulos noted.
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