Rwandan President, Paul Kagame has called on Congolese authorities to open negotiations with the M23 rebel group, which has recently seized several key towns in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Speaking on the current situation, President Kagame emphasised the need for the Democratic Republic of Congo’s government to take responsibility for its internal challenges.
The call comes after the Rwandan president expressed confusion over how the conflict, initially sparked by Uganda-based rebels, has come to be framed as Rwanda’s issue.
President Kagame stressed that encouraging the Democratic Republic of Congo government to take its own responsibility for its people and the country will help in addressing the issue.
It could be recalled that the M23 rebel group has made significant territorial gains in recent weeks, capturing the towns of Katale and Masisi.
The latter is located just eighty kilometres from Goma, the regional capital of North Kivu province and the expansion by M23 has sparked increasing tensions in the region.