The United Nations, the African Union and the East African Community condemned the capture of the city by the Rwanda-backed rebel group – the second time in 12 years – and called for immediate de-escalation.
On Monday, the Kenyan head of state said he had reached out to Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame and his Congolese counterpart Felix Tshisekedi regarding the meeting.
“I have discussed the summit meeting for Wednesday with President Paul Kagame and Felix Tshisekedi, and both of them have confirmed their participation,” President Ruto said at State House, Nairobi, where he hosted African Union leaders.
The M23 entered Goma on Sunday drawing mixed reactions from the residents. While some cowed in their homes, others came out to greet the fighters after a night of gunfight and bombardment.
Some fleeing Congolese army men crossed the border into Rwanda, where they reportedly surrendered their weapons.
Rwanda has been accused of aiding the Congolese-Rwandese fighters, with several UN experts reports and Kinshasa authorities pointing an accusing finger at Kigali. Rwandan officials have always denied the allegations.
Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, said in a communique that the AU was following with great attention the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in the east of the DRC.
“He notes with deep concern the threats that such developments pose to the tireless and significant efforts undertaken within the framework of the two African mechanisms, notably the Luanda Process led by President Joao Manuel Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola. He expresses his unreserved support for such efforts, which are the only way to resolve the persistent tension between the DRC and Rwanda, on the one hand, and between the DRC and its political-military opposition, on the other,” the statement said.
Mr Mahamat called on both regional and international communities to join efforts to stop the fighting in eastern DRC.
“He launches an urgent appeal to the international community to mobilise all possible support for the populations affected by the serious collateral damage of this expanding war.”
The AU also called for a strict observance of the ceasefire agreed between the parties and the immediate cessation of all hostilities, urging the parties to preserve the lives of civilians.
On Monday, after the UN Security Council called for cessation of the violence and censured Rwanda for aiding the fighters, Kigali released a statement saying the allegations lacked context.
“The ongoing conflict in eastern DRC, particularly the recent heavy fighting around Goma, was triggered by constant violations of the ceasefire by the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) in coalition with UN-sanctioned genocidal militia FDLR, European mercenaries, ethnic militias (Wazalendo), Burundian armed forces, SAMIRC forces as well as Monusco troops,” said the statement dated January 26.
“This fighting close to the Rwandan border continues to present a serious threat to Rwanda's security and territorial integrity, and necessitates Rwanda's sustained defensive posture. It is important to recall that the resurgence of M23 in late 2021 did not originate in Rwanda, although the Government of DRC has scapegoated Rwanda, as the Congolese Tutsi community that the M23 represents are conflated with Rwanda. The M23, a Congolese rebel group fighting to protect their community in eastern DRC cannot be accused of violating ‘territorial integrity’ of their own country.”
The M23 are accused of killing Maj-Gen Peter Cirimwami, Military Governor of North Kivu, last week, and Rwanda points out that the fallen general had been linked by the UN to the FDLR as liaison “and was responsible for sabotaging planned operations by the FARDC to neutralise the leaders of the FDLR.”
Amid the accusations and counteraccusations, President Ruto hopes for a quick ceasefire, having convinced Presidents Felix Tshisekedi and Paul Kagame to attend the virtual summit. But it remains to be seen if both of them will show up.
President Tshisekedi avoided the last ordinary summit in Arusha without apology and Kagame skipped the last mediation talks late last year in Luanda, where President João Lourenço has been hosting talks on peace in Congo under the auspices of the AU.
Rwanda says the breakdown of the Luanda Process, “following the refusal by the Government of the DRC to dialogue with M23, and the consistent refusal to address the root causes of conflict in eastern DRC has resulted in the intensification and prolongation of the fighting, and perpetual security and other threats to neighbouring countries, including Rwanda.”
Kigali says it is committed to the pursuit of a political solution to the conflict, but “the Luanda process must not be personalised or taken as an end in itself, but as a tool to resolve security concerns between Rwanda and the DRC. Both the Luanda and Nairobi processes urgently require new impetus, in order to achieve sustainable peace and stability for all the countries in our region.”
In the meantime, business has been heavily impacted. Kenyan carrier Jambo Jet on Monday announced it was cancelling flights to Goma “due to the increasing safety concerns and closure of the airspace.”
“The safety and security of our guests and staff is our utmost priority. We are closely monitoring these developments and will deliberate on the next steps together with key stakeholders both in Goma and Nairobi,” the airline said in a statement.
“We have had UN peace keeping mission there for the last 20 years, we have had forces from the EAC in and out, SADC and so there is complicated situation there. It is my belief that this engagement is absolutely necessary because we do not see a possibility of a military solution to the challenges that face eastern DRC,” he said.
“We will be willing to listen to all the actors in the space and it is our hope that we will come out with a way forward that includes a facilitation and a mediation that will bring the parties on board to see how to process the issues that informed this conflict to get solutions,” he said.
M23 last captured Goma in 2012 and it took the intervention of Monusco and a flurry of diplomatic activity for them to give it up. This year is, however, different from 2012, as the Kinshasa administration has stated categorically that it will not negotiate with the group it has tagged “terrorist.” And an upbeat Congolese army top brass say they will take the war to the attackers. Army spokesman Gen Sylvain Ekenge said, "The war has just begun!”
The entry of the fighters in Goma has unleashed chaos. At the weekend, Goma international Airport was closed and on Monday airlines officially cancelled flights to the city.
Prisoners broke out of jail, civilians looted businesses and families left en masse for fear of the atrocities that the rebels are accused of in the other regions they have captured.
Both sides of the war have been accused of rape, sexual assault and ethnic cleansing.
The region now fears a wave of new refugees and attendant communicable diseases, including Mpox, Marburg and diarrhoeal diseases such as cholera in the camps they are going to settle in.
But Rwanda has opened its borders to the refugees, some UN non-military staff and their families and Congolese combatants fleeing the fighting.
