Crisis in the DRC: African Leaders Call for Urgent Ceasefire

In a bid to address the escalating crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a high-level summit of African leaders convened in Tanzania on Saturday, urging an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire” within five days.

The meeting brought together key figures from the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), including Rwandan President Paul Kagame, who attended in person, and his Congolese counterpart Félix Tshisekedi, who participated via video call.

The March 23 Movement (M23), a Rwanda-backed armed group, has launched a swift and brutal offensive in eastern DRC, capturing vast swathes of mineral-rich territory.

The conflict has left thousands dead and forced countless others to flee their homes. Just last week, the M23 seized control of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, and is now making advances into South Kivu, pushing dangerously close to Kavumu, a strategic town with an airport critical for supplying Congolese forces.

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According to local reports, fighting is ongoing just 60 kilometers (35 miles) from the South Kivu provincial capital, Bukavu, where panic is spreading among residents. Shops are being boarded up, and thousands are desperately trying to cross into Rwanda.

“The border is open but nearly impassable due to the sheer number of people attempting to flee. It’s total chaos,” one source revealed.

In a joint statement, the summit called on military chiefs from both regional communities to meet within five days to map out the technical details of a ceasefire. Leaders also emphasized the urgent need for humanitarian corridors to ensure the evacuation of the dead and injured.

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However, history has shown that ceasefires in this conflict often collapse, with previous peace talks hosted by Angola and Kenya failing to yield lasting solutions.

Rwanda has consistently denied providing military support to the M23, but a United Nations report last year alleged that Rwanda had deployed around 4,000 troops inside the DRC.

The report also accused Rwanda of profiting from the illegal smuggling of vast quantities of gold and coltan, a valuable mineral essential for manufacturing electronic devices like smartphones and laptops.

For its part, Rwanda has accused the DRC of harboring members of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR)—a Hutu militia composed of individuals linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

This mutual hostility has fueled fears that the DRC conflict could escalate into a full-scale regional war, especially as other African nations, including South Africa, Burundi, and Malawi, have deployed troops in support of the Congolese government.

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The situation on the ground is deteriorating rapidly. According to UN human rights chief Volker Türk, nearly 3,000 people have been killed and 2,880 wounded since M23 took control of Goma on January 26.

The real toll is feared to be much higher. Türk also highlighted horrifying allegations of sexual violence, including rape, gang rape, and sexual slavery, which are currently under investigation.

In a concerning development, the M23 has installed its own mayor and local government in Goma, signaling its intent to govern captured territories.

The rebel group has even vowed to march all the way to Kinshasa, the national capital, which lies over 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) away across the vast central African nation. While such a feat would be unprecedented, the DRC’s ill-equipped and corruption-plagued military has suffered multiple defeats, raising fears that the government may struggle to contain the insurgency.