DRC Conflict: EAC Leaders Call for Immediate Ceasefire, Dialogue with m23 Rebels
The East African Community (EAC) Heads of State have called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and urged President Félix Tshisekedi to engage in direct dialogue with armed groups, including M23, to de-escalate the worsening security situation.
President Yoweri Museveni took to his official X platform to share the key resolutions from the Extra-Ordinary Summit of the East African Community (EAC) Heads of State, which was held on Wednesday night and chaired by Kenyan President William Ruto.
The meeting focused on the escalating security crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where fighting between government forces and armed groups, particularly M23, has intensified. He noted that the leaders unanimously agreed that President Félix Tshisekedi must engage in direct dialogue with his armed opponents to explore a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
Additionally, recognizing the complexity of the crisis, the EAC resolved to convene an urgent joint summit with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in the coming days, aiming to develop a comprehensive and lasting solution for stability in eastern DRC.
The meeting was attended by President Yoweri Museveni, Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan, Burundi’s President Évariste Ndayishimiye, South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir Mayardit and Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
According to resolutions in the document, EAC leaders strongly condemned recent attacks on diplomatic missions in Kinshasa, where angry protesters have targeted foreign embassies. On Tuesday ,angry protestors vandalised and burned embassies in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s capital Kinshasa to denounce the “inaction” of the international community over the conflict raging in Goma, the main city in the country’s east.
Several youth gathered in the upscale district of Gombe in the north of Kinshasa and targeted the embassies of Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, France, Belgium and the United States.
They accused Rwanda and Uganda of actively supporting the armed group M23 which, after a lightning offensive in North Kivu province with the support of Rwandan troops, entered the regional capital, Goma, on Sunday.
During the summit, the EAC heads of State called on the Congolese government to uphold its international obligations and ensure the safety of diplomats, their staff, and property.
Recognizing the involvement of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in DRC affairs, the summit resolved to convene a joint EAC-SADC summit in the coming days to strategize on a lasting solution.
The leaders further expressed condolences to victims of the conflict and called for urgent humanitarian access to affected populations, particularly women and children.
The M23 rebellion traces its origins to 2012 when former members of the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP) mutinied against the DRC government, citing unmet agreements from a 2009 peace deal. The group briefly captured Goma in November 2012 before being defeated in 2013. The conflict’s roots are deeply intertwined with the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, leading to prolonged instability in the eastern DRC.
Named after the March 23, 2009 peace accord that ended a previous Tutsi-led revolt, M23 has accused the Congolese government of betrayal, failing to integrate Tutsis into the army and administration as promised.
Since the start of 2025, M23 fighters have rampaged through new territories, reaching the outskirts of Goma, North Kivu’s capital, and sparking a massive humanitarian crisis. Hundreds of thousands have been forced to flee, as the rebels tighten their grip on strategic strongholds.
For over a year now, M23 has controlled the lucrative coltan-mining hub of Rubaya, a resource-rich area vital for the tech industry.
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