Mandate of regional force in Congo extended until September

KIGALI, Rwanda

East African leaders extended the mandate of the regional force set up to tackle violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo until September, according to a statement issued on Thursday.

The leaders “agreed to the extension of the forces agreement for six months from March 8 to September 8, 2023, in order to consolidate the gains made by the East African Community (EAC) regional force,” said the statement, which was issued at the end of the leaders’ summit in Bujumbura, Burundi.

The East African Community bloc leaders directed deployment of the joint regional force to DR Congo at a summit in February in Burundi as part of efforts to restore peace in the country’s eastern volatile region.

But there was uncertainty over the force's future operations after Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi accused the force of not doing its job and colluding with M23 rebels.

Tshisekedi, who was represented at the meeting by a delegation led by Minister of State for Regional Integration Antipas Mbusa Nyamwisi, had initially agreed to extend the force’s mandate until June.

He had, however, warned that if the force did not do its “offensive” job by the end of its mandate in June, it would be asked to leave DR Congo.

Speaking at the summit, Burundi’s President Evariste Ndayishimiye called for “combined efforts for the restoration of lasting peace in the DRC.”

Ndayishimiye said the EAC thanked Tshisekedi for facilitating the deployment of the regional force but especially for the “observance of the cease-fire by the regular troops of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”

There has been disagreement between Kinshasa and the EAC on the mandate of the regional force.

While DR Congo sought an offensive mission, the member countries of the EAC maintained that the force was deployed for a peacekeeping mission.

Since last year, fighting between the M23 and government forces has displaced thousands of people in eastern Congo.

The fighting has heightened tensions between Rwanda and the neighboring DR Congo government.

Kinshasa accuses Kigali of backing the rebel group, a charge Rwanda consistently denies.