In light of deteriorating ties between the two neighbors, the president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Félix Tshisekedi has issued a warning that his nation may be on the verge of going to war with Rwanda.
“This possibility cannot be ruled out. If Rwanda’s provocation continues, we will not sit and do nothing about it. We are not weak,” Félix Tshisekedi told newsmen.
Additionally, he charged Rwanda with having “illicit vested economic interests in the DRC” in addition to supporting the M23 rebel group.
On Wednesday in Angola, Tshisekedi to met with Paul Kagame from Rwanda.
The Congolese president advised Kagame to be “sincere” in conversations and acknowledge that his administration supported M23 rebels, whose actions, among others, have destabilised the mineral-rich eastern DR Congo, in an interview with FT before the meeting.
Paul Kagame, president of Rwanda, has consistently denied the charges. He said on Monday that his country was not participating in the continuing situation and that it was an internal DR Congo issue.
The two leaders spoke on Wednesday about their bilateral relations as well as the crisis in eastern DRC, where M23 rebels last month took control of a town close to the Ugandan border.
Rwanda is accused by Congolese authorities of supporting the M23 and seizing Congolese territory. Rwanda is a significantly smaller neighbor than Congo.
