Rwanda has announced its decision to withdraw from the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) following a diplomatic dispute over its alleged role in the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
ECCAS, a regional bloc founded in the 1980s to promote cooperation on security and economic development in Central Africa, comprises 11 member states.
Rwanda was meant to take over as the new leader of the bloc, a position that moves from one country to another, according to Reuters.
But at a meeting on Saturday in Equatorial Guinea, it was stopped from doing so. Instead, the bloc opted to retain Equatorial Guinea as chair, a move Rwanda’s foreign ministry condemned as a breach of its rights.
In a statement, Rwanda accused the Democratic Republic of Congo of “instrumentalizing” ECCAS. It declared that it saw “no justification for remaining in an organization whose current functioning runs counter to its founding principles.”
The office of Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi said in a statement that ECCAS member states had “acknowledged the aggression against the Democratic Republic of Congo by Rwanda and ordered the aggressor country to withdraw its troops from Congolese soil.”
Accusations fly as Rwanda denies backing M23 rebels
Rwanda has been accused of supporting the M23 rebel group in eastern DR Congo. Earlier this year, M23 fighters captured two of the region’s biggest cities, in an offensive that killed thousands and raised fears of a wider regional war.
The governments of DR Congo, the US, and France have all pointed to Rwanda as backing the rebel group. However, Rwanda has repeatedly denied the allegations, claiming its military presence near the border is purely defensive.
Meanwhile, efforts to broker peace have been ongoing, with African leaders, the United States, and Qatar involved in mediation attempts.
For instance, the U.S. has signalled interest in facilitating a peace deal between Congo and Rwanda, which could unlock billions in Western investment in the mineral-rich region.
