Rwanda quits Central African bloc in dispute with Congo
Rwanda says it will withdraw from the Economic Community of Central African States, underscoring diplomatic tensions in the region over an offensive by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in eastern Congo.
Kigali had expected to assume the chairmanship of the 11-member bloc at a meeting on Saturday in Equatorial Guinea.
Instead, the bloc kept Equatorial Guinea in the role, which Rwanda's foreign ministry denounced as a violation of its rights.
Rwanda, in a statement, condemned Congo's "instrumentalisation" of the bloc and saw "no justification for remaining in an organisation whose current functioning runs counter to its founding principles".
It wasn't clear if Rwanda's exit from the bloc would take immediate effect.
The office of Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi said in a statement that bloc members had "acknowledged the aggression against the Democratic Republic of Congo by Rwanda and ordered the aggressor country to withdraw its troops from Congolese soil".
M23 seized eastern Congo's two largest cities earlier this year, with the advance leaving thousands dead and raising concerns of an all-out regional war.
African leaders, along with Washington and Doha, have been trying to broker a peace deal.
Congo, the United Nations and Western powers accuse Rwanda of supporting M23 by sending troops and weapons.
Rwanda has long denied helping M23, saying its forces were acting in self-defence against Congo's army and ethnic Hutu militiamen linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide that killed about one million people, mostly ethnic Tutsis.
US President Donald Trump's administration hopes to strike a peace accord between Congo and Rwanda that would also facilitate billions in Western investment in the region, rich in minerals including tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper and lithium.
The bloc was established in the 1980s to foster co-operation in areas such as security and economic affairs among its member states.
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News.com.au
20 minutes ago
- News.com.au
‘Gone': US move stopped world in its tracks
The United States has joined Israel's war against Iran, with President Donald Trump announcing American warplanes had dropped bombs on three nuclear sites in Iran. The three sites that were hit included Iran's mountain facility at Fordo, the heavily fortified underground facility in Iran that is critical to its nuclear program, and a larger plant at Natanz, which had already been targeted by Iran. The third site was at Isfahan, which is where Iran is believed to keep its near-bomb-grade enriched uranium. 'A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow,' Mr Trump announced on social media. Later in a speech at the White House, Mr Trump said the attack's objective was 'the destruction of Iran's nuclear enrichment capability and a stop to the world's number one state sponsor of terror'. 'I can report to the world the strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated,' he said. 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However, Mr Spencer warned that Iran could still go the 'irrational route' and retaliate. 'It could go with Hezbollah, which still has a lot of capabilities, against Israel, (and where) there are hundred of thousands of American citizens,' he said. 'It could (activate) Shia-backed militia groups in Iraq to attack American bases. It's ballistic program, which is about 50 per cent destroyed, it could make that fatal mistake of launching ballistic missiles at American bases within its range.' Other experts argue that Iran might see a disproportionate attack as the only way to deter further strikes and could target American bases. Jonathan Panikoff, the director of the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council, said Iran could seek full retaliation, which would mean 'a significant escalatory spiral that could get out of hand quickly'. 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7NEWS
25 minutes ago
- 7NEWS
US president Donald Trump addresses the world after Iranian strikes
US president Donald Trump will shortly be addressing the world after confirming American forces have completed strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites. Trump announced the US had executed three 'very successful attacks' on the sites at Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan. The announcement was shortly after confirmed in a statement from the White House on Saturday local time. Trump addressed the nation from the White House at 10pm local time, saying that strikes were carried out on three key nuclear facilities, calling the mission a 'spectacular success'. Strikes had 'completely and totally obliterated' the Iranian nuclear facilities, Trump said. Trump called Iran the 'bully of the Middle East,' saying they must now make peace. 'If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier,' he said. 'For 40 years, Iran has been saying, 'Death to America, death to Israel.' 'They've been killing our people, blowing off their arms, blowing off their legs with roadside bombs.'
SBS Australia
27 minutes ago
- SBS Australia
Midday News Bulletin 22 June 2025
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