Kagame: The DR Congo needs to agree to peace negotiations with M23

President Paul Kagame has underlined that the Congolese government must “hold the bull by its horns” and deal with the AFC/M23 rebels amicably rather than militarily in order to end the current problem in DR Congo.

He made this statement in an interview with American blogger Mario Nawfal, who was in Rwanda last week to talk about the DR Congo issue among other topics.

The rebels have been in possession of two key cities in eastern DR Congo, Goma and Bukavu, since the beginning of 2025, and Kinshasa has long denied that there is any chance of peace with them.

Although a flawless solution would not be possible right away, Kagame stated that violence must end to make room for procedures that deal with the conflict’s underlying roots. In the eastern DR Congo, he outlined a three-step plan for peace.

“A ceasefire is now required in order for the parties involved and those who wish to assist to put an end to the fighting.”

Second, he asserted that a procedure that acknowledges the concerns of M23, which defends Congolese Tutsi villages that have endured decades of ethnic violence, is necessary to settle political disputes amicably.

And that will need that Congo’s leaders take the bull by the horns, embrace reality, and declare, “I have to speak with these Congolese who are against me; I have to listen to them and [know] what their complaints are.” Even if they selected six of the ten complaints and declared, “Okay, we agree on these, but we disagree on the other four,” Progress, that’s what Kagame stated.

Thirdly, because they are headquartered in Congo and have actually been linked to the Congolese government, they need to acknowledge and address Rwanda’s security concerns.

Concerns regarding the Congolese army’s cooperation with the FDLR, a group connected to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, have long been voiced by Rwanda. The UN-approved organization is also linked to the persecution of Tutsi communities in Congo.

“We will not negotiate on the Congolese political concerns, Rwanda’s security concerns, or even a ceasefire, even if we get the bare minimum on the three [issues],” Kagame declared.

However, he pointed out that Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi’s insistence on a military solution to the issue and rejection of any chance for direct peace negotiations with the AFC/M23 rebels constituted a significant obstacle to this possible course.

Tshisekedi and Angolan President João Lourenço met in Luanda on Tuesday, and Lourenço said he would set up direct talks between M23 and DR Congo in the next few days.

Kagame urged the international community to back peaceful initiatives for DR Congo and reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to regional peace.

“It is legitimate for countries to have interests in Congo, and they should also discover that their interests would be better served by resolving these issues in this way,” he stated.