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As the battle for control of Goma escalated, hopes for a regional diplomatic resolution were dealt a blow Wednesday, January 29, 2025, when Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Félix Tshisekedi declined to attend a virtual summit convened by Kenyan President William Ruto. The meeting, called under the auspices of the East African Community (EAC), was aimed at de-escalating tensions and finding a path forward, but Tshisekedi’s absence left efforts in limbo.
The summit was expected to bring together leaders from the region, including Rwandan President Paul Kagame, whose government has been accused of backing the M23 rebel group that has seized much of Goma, a strategic city near the Rwandan border.
Presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Evariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia, Samia Suluhu of Tanzania and William Ruto of Kenya attended the virtual meeting. William Ruto chaired the meeting.
For residents of Goma, the political maneuvering offered little respite from the harsh realities on the ground. The past week had seen the M23 rebels push deeper into the city, seizing key installations, including its airport. Sporadic gunfire continued to ring out in certain districts, and the once-bustling streets had become eerie battle zones littered with debris and casualties.
Hospitals, already stretched thin, struggled to cope with a mounting influx of wounded civilians and soldiers. Food supplies dwindled as aid warehouses were looted, and the city’s essential services—including electricity, water, and internet—remained disrupted. In an effort to survive, many residents who had been in hiding cautiously emerged to search for scarce provisions, navigating the ruins of their besieged home.
The international peacekeeping presence in the city, including troops from the United Nations (UN) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), appeared unable to prevent the rebel advance. Deputy head of the UN mission in Goma, Vivian van de Perre, speaking from a fortified UN compound, acknowledged that M23 had “firmly established” itself in the city but noted the presence of “pockets of resistance” still holding out.
The renewed conflict has once again strained relations between the DRC and Rwanda. Kinshasa has repeatedly accused Kigali of providing military and logistical support to M23, a claim backed by multiple UN reports. Rwanda, however, denies direct involvement, arguing that the Congolese government harbors anti-Rwanda armed groups, including remnants of Hutu militias responsible for the 1994 genocide.
M23, a predominantly Tutsi rebel group, has framed its resurgence as a fight to protect the rights of Tutsis in eastern DRC. However, the group’s aggressive expansion has fueled fears of wider regional instability. Reports indicate that M23 fighters may now be moving towards Bukavu, DRC’s second-largest eastern city, a development that, if confirmed, could trigger an even greater humanitarian disaster.
Meanwhile, an unexpected twist emerged when nearly 280 Romanian military contractors, hired by the DRC government, reportedly surrendered to M23 rebels. The Rwandan Defence Forces (RDF) claimed that the fighters were being transported to Kigali, though UN sources suggested that they initially sought refuge at a UN base before being relocated.
The Romanian government later confirmed that the individuals were private security personnel deployed under a 2022 contract to provide training and logistical support to the Congolese military.
“We were here for training and artillery support, not combat,” one contractor, who identified himself only as Emile, told AFP. “Things changed quickly, and we found ourselves in the middle of a situation we were not prepared for.”
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