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Kagame Agrees to DRC Talks
A potential breakthrough in the ongoing crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) emerged on Monday with the announcement that Rwandan President Paul Kagame has agreed to meet with his Congolese counterpart, Felix Tshisekedi.
The development follows a meeting in Luanda, Angola, between President Kagame and Angolan President João Lourenço, who is acting as the African Union’s (AU) mediator in the DRC conflict.
“Both Rwanda and the DR Congo have agreed to hold the meeting,” Angola’s Foreign Minister Tete Antonio confirmed after the talks. Ministerial delegations from both sides are working towards finalizing the arrangements, including the date for the summit.
Rwanda’s presidency also indicated progress, stating that the two leaders “agreed on key steps towards addressing the root causes of the conflict” during their discussions with President Lourenço.
This announcement comes after President Tshisekedi visited Luanda last month and expressed willingness to meet with President Kagame. However, the Congolese leader had previously conditioned the meeting on the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from DRC territory – a demand Rwanda has consistently denied.
The eastern DRC has been a flashpoint for violence in recent weeks, with clashes between M23 rebels and Congolese forces displacing over 100,000 people, according to the UN. The DRC accuses Rwanda of backing the M23 rebels, a charge Kigali vehemently refutes.
Eswatini Denies Citizenship for Marriage Offer
The Kingdom of Eswatini has refuted circulating claims that it is offering citizenship to men from southern Africa in an effort to address a supposed gender imbalance.
The denial comes after a fabricated letter, purportedly authored by King Mswati III, went viral on social media. The hoax letter expressed concern over a “scarcity of men” in the kingdom and promised free housing and wives to willing men from southern Africa who agreed to marry there.
“The public is notified that this circulating notice is fake,” declared the Eswatini government in a concise statement posted online.
Authorities have not identified the culprit behind the fake letter, though it sparked excitement among some social media users in southern Africa.
Eswatini, known as Africa’s last absolute monarchy, has a long-standing cultural practice of a ceremonial “reed dance” where young women are presented to the king for potential marriage.
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