Latest news with #M23
eNCA
3 hours ago
- Politics
- eNCA
WATCH: SANDF troops arrive from DRC
SANDF soldiers landing BLOEMFONTEIN - Another group of SANDF soldiers has arrived in Bloemfontein, returning from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Their return forms part of a phased withdrawal following SADC's decision to end its peacekeeping mission in the region. It comes just months after deadly clashes with M23 rebels claimed the lives of 14 South African soldiers.
Yomiuri Shimbun
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Congo and Rwanda Will Sign a Peace Deal on June 27, a Major Step in Ending Fighting in Eastern Congo
AP file photo FILE – Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosts a signing ceremony in which Congo's Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner, left, and Rwanda's Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe, right, pledge to work toward a peace deal at the State Department in Washington, April 25, 2025. DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Congo and Rwanda will sign a peace agreement in Washington on June 27 that aims to ending fighting in eastern Congo, the two countries and the U.S. State Department said. Congo has accused Rwanda of backing M23 rebels in its mineral-rich eastern region across the border with Rwanda. U.N. experts say the rebels are supported by about 4,000 troops from Rwanda, which has denied backing M23. The decades-long conflict escalated in January, when the M23 rebels advanced and seized the strategic Congolese city of Goma, followed by the town of Bukavu in February. The draft agreement includes 'provisions on respect for territorial integrity and a prohibition of hostilities; disengagement, disarmament, and conditional integration of non-state armed groups,' the joint statement said Wednesday. The agreement also includes a commitment to respecting territorial integrity and the conditional integration of non-state armed groups. Congo and Rwanda are not formally at war and in the past had held peace talks that have largely stalled, including those hosted by Qatar. Corneille Nangaa, leader of the Congo River Alliance, a coalition of rebel groups, told The Associated Press in April that international sanctions and Congo's proposed minerals deal with the United States in search of peace would not stop the fighting. Christian Moleka, a political scientist at the Congolese think tank Dypol, told The Associated Press that he believes that the duration of the agreement will depend on 'Kinshasa's willingness to undertake structural reforms of the security apparatus, and the commitment of the international community to accompany the reforms to the end.' He added that the proposed agreement did not significantly differ from previous attempts at peace. M23 is one of about 100 armed factions vying for control in eastern Congo. But unlike the others, they are mainly made up of ethnic Tutsis who failed to integrate into the Congolese army. The group says it is defending ethnic Tutsis and Congolese of Rwandan origin from discrimination, although critics say their Rwanda-backed campaign is a pretext for economic and political influence over eastern Congo. Rwanda's longtime President Paul Kagame accuses Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi of overlooking the concerns of the ethnic Tutsis and ignoring previous peace agreements.
CBS News
16 hours ago
- Business
- CBS News
U.S. brokers deal between Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda to end war over mineral wealth
Johannesburg, South Africa — At the invitation of Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshekedi, the Trump administration was brought in to lead negotiations to end the war raging in the east of the country between DRC forces and rebels believed to be backed by Rwanda. A peace deal was initialed Wednesday evening by officials from the neighboring nations, and it's set to be signed formally late next week in Washington by their leaders, and witnessed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the State Department said. While many in the region will welcome an end to the long-running and deadly conflict, Daniel Van Dalen, a senior analyst at the Africa-focused intelligence firm Signal Risk, says the way the agreement was hashed out signals a major change in geopolitical efforts to end crises on the continent. The days of diplomatic soft power, he says, are over. Officials have said the agreement is part of the U.S.' new bid under President Trump to build relationships in Africa that are more transactional and less focused on exerting soft power through diplomacy and investment. The deal came after three days of talks in Washington between DRC and Rwandan delegations — and after many previous failed attempts to secure an agreement between the two countries. Members of the M23 rebel group are seem after the opening ceremony in Goma, North Kivu province, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, April 7, 2025. Arlette Bashizi/REUTERS If implemented, the agreement will end the fighting in eastern DRC. It could also bring billions of dollars of American investment into the region, which is rich in the minerals coltan, cobalt, lithium, copper and gold, all of which are critical in the manufacture of electric vehicles, smartphones, computers and a wide range of other high-tech goods, from satellites to military weapons systems. The curse of Congo's mineral wealth The DRC is a country roughly the size of Alaska and Texas combined, but its vast mineral reserves sit largely in the far east, near the border with Rwanda. Many locals call it a curse, as fighting over control of the resources has led to three decades of fighting in the region, killing some six million people, according to a 2022 analysis by the Foreign Policy Research Institute. More than 125 different armed groups have fought over access to the mineral reserves, but the largest, the M23 militia, is the only one thought to be backed by a neighboring country — Rwanda. The U.S. government and the United Nations officials believe Rwanda backs M23 militarily, though Rwandan officials have repeatedly denied that. Van Dalen says M23 is different to the other armed groups in the region as it has sought territorial control and expansion. The group's estimated 5,000 foot soldiers have taken two provinces in the eastern DRC over the last few months. In short order, he said, M23 has set up parallel government structures, with tax systems, in those areas, and will be very difficult to remove. Critics of the U.S.-brokered peace deal are skeptical that it will work, as M23 is not a signatory to the agreement and has not been involved directly in the negotiations, and the Rwandan government denies formal links with the group. Van Dalen said the deal will only succeed if M23 abides by the terms. Rwanda walked from previous peace talks, while M23 surged into new territory in the DRC. "That remains true today, as the M23 are still pushing, in spite of peace negotiations, for territorial gains," Van Dalen told CBS News on Thursday. Since M23's seizure of the two provinces in DRC, Van Dalen said there's been a surge in Rwandan mineral exports — a surge representing more than the country could account for from its own, limited reserves. CBS News understands from sources in the region that Rwanda has indicated a willingness to withdraw its troops, who are believed to back M23 fighters in the region, while the DRC might be amenable to the idea of some minerals, mined locally and on a small scale from its territory, being sold through Rwanda. Trump administration looking for deals: "High risk, with vast rewards" Amid the peace negotiations in Washington, President Trump's daughter Tiffany's father-in-law, Massad Boulous, was brought in as a senior adviser to the White House on Africa. He was quickly dispatched to the DRC, Rwanda and neighboring nations, to "meet with Heads of State and business leaders to advance efforts for durable peace in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and to promote U.S. private sector investment in the region." That work was focused, Van Dalen said, on brokering separate deals with the DRC, to grant access to its mineral reserves, and with Rwanda, on a potential deportee program. A previous agreement between Britain and Rwanda, for the U.K. to deport migrants to the African nation, fell apart before it even got underway — as a result of British court decisions and then a change in government in the U.K. Striking deals like this can give the White House the ability to tout peace-making efforts while securing access to critical resources for the U.S., but it can also help counter China's dominance in Africa's mineral sector, Van Dalen said. It is a tactic China and Russia have used for many years. Chinese companies currently control over 80% of the cobalt reserves in DRC, according to U.S. government estimates. Secretary of State Rubio will witness the signing of the DRC-Rwanda deal in Washington on June 27, the State Department said in its Wednesday night statement, which provided only vague details. It said the parties had agreed to "provisions on respect for territorial integrity and a prohibition of hostilities; disengagement, disarmament, and conditional integration of non-state armed groups," as well as establishing "a Joint Security Coordination Mechanism," facilitating the return of refugees and internally displaced persons, facilitating humanitarian access, "and a regional economic integration framework." U.S. companies had mining operations in the region several decades ago, but they left when the armed conflict and corruption in regional governments made those operations too risky. DRC President Tshekedi has recently revisited legislation that could reform the country's tax code in ways that make its mining sector more appealing to Western business interests. Those proposed changes had already sparked new interest, with U.S. funding committed to develop the Lobito Corridor — a rail line to connect the DRC's land-locked "copper belt" with an Angolan Atlantic Ocean port. In November, then-President Joe Biden visited Angola and saw the Lobito Corridor port operations first-hand. The following month, the Biden administration announced an additional $560 million in U.S. funding for the project. Van Dalen said if the U.S. is able to manage the regional tension and keep a peace agreement in place, it would be "high risk, with vast rewards, both for the region and the U.S. itself," adding that, in his view, it would also fit right in with "Trump's transactional nature."
Los Angeles Times
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Congo and Rwanda will sign a peace deal on June 27, a major step in ending fighting in eastern Congo
DAKAR, Senegal — Congo and Rwanda will sign a peace agreement in Washington on June 27 that aims to ending fighting in eastern Congo, the two countries and the U.S. State Department said. Congo has accused Rwanda of backing M23 rebels in its mineral-rich eastern region across the border with Rwanda. U.N. experts say the rebels are supported by about 4,000 troops from Rwanda, which has denied backing M23. The decades-long conflict escalated in January, when the M23 rebels advanced and seized the strategic Congolese city of Goma, followed by the town of Bukavu in February. The draft agreement includes 'provisions on respect for territorial integrity and a prohibition of hostilities; disengagement, disarmament, and conditional integration of non-state armed groups,' the joint statement said Wednesday. The agreement also includes a commitment to respecting territorial integrity and the conditional integration of non-state armed groups. Congo and Rwanda are not formally at war and in the past had held peace talks that have largely stalled, including those hosted by Qatar. Corneille Nangaa, leader of the Congo River Alliance, a coalition of rebel groups, told The Associated Press in April that international sanctions and Congo's proposed minerals deal with the United States in search of peace would not stop the fighting. M23 is one of about 100 armed factions vying for control in eastern Congo. But unlike the others, they are mainly made up of ethnic Tutsis who failed to integrate into the Congolese army. The group says it is defending ethnic Tutsis and Congolese of Rwandan origin from discrimination, although critics say their Rwanda-backed campaign is a pretext for economic and political influence over eastern Congo. Rwanda's longtime President Paul Kagame accuses Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi of overlooking the concerns of the ethnic Tutsis and ignoring previous peace agreements. Mcmakin writes for the Associated Press.
Euronews
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Euronews
DR Congo and Rwanda set to sign US-brokered peace deal
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda are set to sign a US-brokered peace deal in Washington next week, which aims to end the fighting in eastern DRC. A provisional agreement, announced by the two countries and the US State Department, covers issues including disarmament, the integration of non-state armed groups and the return of refugees and internally displaced people in eastern DRC. The deal is expected to be signed on 27 June. Eastern DRC has been plagued by conflict for decades, with armed groups competing for access to natural resources, including tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper and lithium. Congo has accused its neighbour Rwanda of backing one of the largest groups in the region, the M23 rebels. UN experts say the rebels are supported by about 4,000 troops from Rwanda, an accusation that Kigali has denied. The conflict escalated in January, when the M23 rebels advanced and seized the strategic DRC city of Goma, followed by the town of Bukavu in February. The draft agreement includes "provisions on respect for territorial integrity and a prohibition of hostilities; disengagement, disarmament, and conditional integration of non-state armed groups". It also includes a commitment to respecting territorial integrity and the conditional integration of non-state armed groups. The Trump administration has spoken of unlocking Western investment in eastern DRC, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has previously described the possibility of peace as a "win-win for everyone involved". Congo and Rwanda are not formally at war and in the past had held peace talks that have largely stalled, including some hosted by Qatar. Angola stepped down in March from its role as a mediator after several attempts to resolve the fighting in eastern DRC. M23 is one of about 100 armed factions vying for control in the region. But unlike the others, it is mainly made up of ethnic Tutsis who failed to integrate into the DRC's army. The group says it is defending ethnic Tutsis and Congolese of Rwandan origin from discrimination, although critics say their Rwanda-backed campaign is a pretext for economic and political influence over eastern DRC. Rwanda's longtime President Paul Kagame accuses Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi of overlooking the concerns of the ethnic Tutsis and ignoring previous peace agreements. Earlier this week, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said that the M23 rebels, DRC military and allied armed groups had all carried out human rights abuses, some of which could amount to war crimes. Israel's military campaign against Iran has raised questions about the future leadership of the Islamic Republic and who will succeed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei if he is killed. After assassinating several top Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that Khamenei could be next. Khamenei has rejected US calls for surrender in the face of Israeli strikes and warned that any military involvement by Washington would cause "irreparable damage". US President Donald Trump said earlier this week that the US knew where Khamenei was "hiding" but that "we are not going to take him out ... at least not for now". As tensions continue to rise almost a week after Israel launched its surprise attack on its major rival Iran, reports have emerged of the growing influence of Khamenei's son Mojtaba — and the possibility of him succeeding his father if Israel wipe him out. Mojtaba is a mid-ranking cleric seen as an influential figure within Iran's decision-making circles, despite his lack of public appearances, insiders have previously told Reuters. Those sources said he has established solid ties with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and other important religious and political players in Tehran. Although Khamenei has never endorsed a successor, Iran analysts say Mojtaba has long been considered as one of the main candidates to be the country's next supreme leader. The other was the late President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash last May. Despite talk of his extensive influence, Iran's Assembly of Experts — the panel that will be tasked with appointing the country's next supreme leader — excluded Mojtaba from a list of potential candidates about six months ago, according to reporting by Reuters. However, although his popularity is said to have faded, sources said there had been behind-the-scenes lobbying by influential clerics to put his name back into the mix. US and Israeli officials have previously raised concerns that the lack of consensus over who should be the country's next supreme leader could complicate the succession phase, and lead to chaos within the regime, the Wall Street Journal reported last year. Iran watchers have also said that Khamenei opposes hereditary rule in a nation where the US-backed monarchy was overthrown in 1979. Nevertheless, the overlapping of religious and military institutions in Iran, as well as the lack of transparency behind the process to appoint the next supreme leader, means that Mojtaba cannot be ruled out.
