Latest news with #LuandaProcess
Al Jazeera
20-02-2025
- Business
- Al Jazeera
US sanctions Rwanda minister over DRC fighting
The US Department of the Treasury has imposed sanctions on a Rwandan government minister and a senior member of an armed group for their alleged role in the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as M23 rebels there continue an offensive that is fuelling a mass exodus to Burundi. The US Treasury Department on Thursday said Rwanda's Minister of State for Regional Integration James Kabarebe was being targeted because he is 'central to Rwanda's support' for the M23 armed group. The US sanctions also targeted Lawrence Kanyuka Kingston, a senior member and spokesperson for the Congo River Alliance – which includes the M23 – and two companies he controls in the United Kingdom and France. In a statement, the Treasury said the two individuals and two entities were 'linked to violence and human rights abuses' in DRC. 'Today's action underscores the need for Rwanda to return to negotiations under the Angola-led Luanda Process to achieve a resolution to the conflict in eastern DRC,' it added. There was no immediate comment from Rwanda, which denies accusations from the United Nations, the US and several other countries that it supports the M23 militarily. Rwanda has accused the DRC of sheltering the FDLR, an armed group created by Hutus who took part in the massacre of Tutsis during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. The DRC government accuses Rwanda of 'expansionist ambitions' and says it is stealing vast amounts of minerals. UN experts said in a report (PDF) published last month that rebels in eastern DRC fraudulently exported 150 tonnes of coltan to Rwanda in 2024. Germany summons ambassador Separately on Thursday, Germany said it was summoning the Rwandan ambassador to Berlin to protest against M23 advances in eastern DRC. 'Backed by Rwanda the M23 militia continues its offensive in eastern DRC. Rwanda must respect the integrity of the DRC [and] withdraw its troops,' Germany's Federal Foreign Office said on social media platform BlueSky. 'We strongly condemn the violation of international law and have summoned the Rwandan ambassador.' The ministry also said the DRC government in Kinshasa needed to 'talk to M23' and 'take Rwanda's legitimate security interests seriously'. The United Nations refugee agency said the conflict in the DRC had sparked Burundi's biggest influx of refugees in 25 years, as roughly 30,000 people crossed the border to escape the rebels' advance. 'People are still pouring in by the thousands every day,' Brigitte Mukanga-Eno, a UNHCR representative in Burundi, told a news conference on Wednesday. The Rwandan-backed fighters have made big gains in the eastern DRC, seizing the cities of Goma and Bukavu and stoking fears of a regional conflagration. The UN human rights office, OHCHR, confirmed on Tuesday that M23 fighters had conducted summary executions of children after they entered the city of Bukavu last week. Some of the rebels were also underage, it said. 'We are also aware that children were in possession of weapons,' OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said. 'We call on Rwanda and M23 to ensure that human rights and international humanitarian law are respected.' Al Jazeera's Alain Uaykani, reporting from Bukavu, said Red Cross staff were collecting bodies for a mass burial. 'It's very difficult to know the identities of those who were killed here, but the Red Cross has confirmed that children are among the victims,' he said. Uaykani added that the M23 has denied responsibility, pinning the killings on the Congolese army instead.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US top diplomat Rubio speaks to Angola about conflict in eastern Congo
By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to Angolan Foreign Minister Tete Antonio on Wednesday about finding "a peaceful end to the conflict" in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the State Department said. KEY QUOTE "Secretary Rubio and Foreign Minister Antonio discussed the Luanda Process and Angola's leadership in working to find a peaceful end to the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo," the State Department said in a statement. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. WHY IT'S IMPORTANT Washington has warned of possible sanctions against Rwandan and Congolese officials due to the conflict. In a diplomatic note seen by Reuters earlier this month, the U.S. had said that stability in the region will require the Rwandan military "to withdraw its forces and advanced weaponry" from Congo. CONTEXT An advance by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels has marked the gravest escalation in more than a decade of a long-running conflict in eastern Congo, rooted in the spillover of Rwanda's 1994 genocide into Congo and the struggle for control of Congo's vast minerals resources. Rwanda rejects allegations from Congo, the United Nations and Western powers that it supports M23 with arms and troops.
Reuters
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
US top diplomat Rubio speaks to Angola about conflict in eastern Congo
WASHINGTON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to Angolan Foreign Minister Tete Antonio on Wednesday about finding "a peaceful end to the conflict" in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the State Department said. KEY QUOTE "Secretary Rubio and Foreign Minister Antonio discussed the Luanda Process and Angola's leadership in working to find a peaceful end to the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo," the State Department said in a statement. WHY IT'S IMPORTANT Washington has warned of possible sanctions against Rwandan and Congolese officials due to the conflict. In a diplomatic note seen by Reuters earlier this month, the U.S. had said that stability in the region will require the Rwandan military "to withdraw its forces and advanced weaponry" from Congo. CONTEXT An advance by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels has marked the gravest escalation in more than a decade of a long-running conflict in eastern Congo, rooted in the spillover of Rwanda's 1994 genocide into Congo and the struggle for control of Congo's vast minerals resources. Rwanda rejects allegations from Congo, the United Nations and Western powers that it supports M23 with arms and troops.
Zawya
09-02-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
President Ramaphosa to participate at the joint Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) – East Africa Community (EAC) Heads of State and Government Summit on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
President Cyril Ramaphosa has this morning, 8 February 2025, arrived for a working visit to Dar Es Salaam in the United Republic of Tanzania on Saturday, 08 February 2025, to participate at the joint Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) – East Africa Community (EAC) Heads of State and Government Summit on the security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The Heads of States and Government of SADC and East African Community agreed to meet urgently following their respective extraordinary Summits held last month to deliberate on the way forward regarding the security situation in the DRC. The joint SADC – EAC Summit was preceded by Senior Officials and Foreign Ministers Meetings taking place on 06 and 07 February 2025. The Extraordinary SADC Summit held last month mandated the SADC Organ Troika on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, to engage all state and non-state parties to the conflict on a ceasefire process to protect lives and facilitate a smooth flow of humanitarian support to people and communities affected by the armed conflict. It also urged Political and Diplomatic leaders who are parties to the conflict to engage in a coordinated effort of dialogue, including supporting the Luanda Process, MONUSCO and others, to restore peace and security in Eastern DRC. President Ramaphosa is accompanied by Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola ,Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Angie Motshekga and senior government officials. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa.
