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Qatari mediators hosted a second round of talks on Friday, March 28, 2025, between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, while separately engaging with M23 rebel representatives. The discussions follow last week’s meeting in Doha between Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame, their first since M23 escalated its offensive in January. While both leaders called for a ceasefire, M23 rejected the appeal and continued its military advance.
Sources confirmed that M23 representatives met with Qatari mediators but held no direct talks with Congolese or Rwandan officials. The details of these discussions remain unclear, and Qatar’s foreign ministry has yet to comment. The DRC, the UN, and Western governments accuse Rwanda of backing M23, a claim Kigali denies, citing self-defense against hostile militias in eastern Congo.
Meanwhile, Uganda’s army chief, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, visited Rwanda for security talks with President Kagame. While officially described as a military lecture, Muhoozi emphasized a potential defense pact between Uganda and Rwanda, warning, “Anyone who attacks one of our countries will have declared war on both.”
Uganda, which has deployed troops in eastern Congo to combat other militias, has denied supporting M23. However, the UN has accused Kampala of exploiting Congo’s resources. Political analyst Phil Clark suggests Uganda is “acting opportunistically,” using security concerns to expand its influence in the region.
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