A fragile peace prevailed in the war-ravaged eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Sunday, following calls from regional leaders urging Congolese forces and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels to agree to a truce.
In recent months, the M23 Movement, allegedly supported by Rwanda, has made rapid territorial gains across the mineral-rich region, with intense clashes leaving thousands dead and displacing countless others.
Fearing that the violence could spill into neighbouring nations, leaders from East and Southern Africa convened on Saturday, calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire within five days.
Both Rwandan President Paul Kagame and his Congolese counterpart Félix Tshisekedi took part in the summit, although Tshisekedi joined via video link.
In Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, which is now in M23’s sights, locals remained sceptical about the summit’s impact.
The M23 offensive is the latest episode in decades of turmoil that have gripped eastern DRC, a region plagued by ethnic violence since the Rwandan genocide.
Kinshasa accuses Kigali of seeking to exploit its vast gold and mineral reserves, while Rwanda, in turn, claims that the DRC harbours the FDLR—an armed group formed by ethnic Hutus who perpetrated the 1994 genocide against Tutsis.
In early February, the M23 seized control of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, which borders Rwanda. Since then, the group has pushed into South Kivu and even threatened to advance towards the Congolese capital, Kinshasa.
Following heavy clashes on Saturday, roughly 60 kilometres (35 miles) from Bukavu, the front lines remained relatively quiet on Sunday, according to local and security sources.
However, fear still gripped the city, with banks and schools staying closed and residents fleeing in anticipation of a possible M23 assault.
Despite repeated ceasefires since the M23 resurfaced in 2021, all previous truces have collapsed. Saturday’s summit, led by the East African Community (EAC) and the 16-member Southern African Development Community (SADC), was the latest attempt at mediation, following previous efforts by Angola and Kenya.
The final communique reaffirmed support for the DRC’s territorial sovereignty and called for humanitarian corridors to be established to evacuate the dead and injured. However, it notably avoided directly mentioning Rwanda’s involvement in the conflict.
Rwanda has consistently denied supporting the M23 militarily. However, a UN expert report last year claimed that Rwanda had deployed approximately 4,000 troops in the DRC and exerted de facto control over the M23.
The report further alleged that Kigali was benefitting from the illegal trade of Congolese minerals.
