DRC: Félix Tshisekedi promises substantial resources to the FARDC to deal with armed groups

During his speech to the Nation delivered this Saturday to the parliament meeting in congress, the President of the DRC placed particular emphasis on the security context. These include the worsening security situation in the eastern part of the country. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

The speech was so expected.

“Our country is the subject of cowardly aggression by Rwanda under cover of the M23”, once again accused the Head of State.

He denounced “expansionist moves of Rwanda in the insecurity in the east of the DRC”.

He also referred to diplomatic initiatives.

“The military option is retained in the event of failure of the diplomatic option”, he recalled.

Felix Tshisekedi also denounced “the indifference of the international community to the deterioration of the security situation in the eastern part of the country which has persisted for decades”.

In his speech, he announced that the 1st contingent of the EAC regional force is already in the DRC to fight the M23 and its allies.

He took note of the clear position of the U.S. “on the Rwandan aggression”, while Kigali denies any support for armed groups in North Kivu and Ituri.

The Congolese president congratulated the National Assembly which declared the M23 a “terrorist group” and prohibited “any mixing or integration of elements of the armed group into the FARDC (Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo)”.

The Head of State reassured the army “of the availability of means to help it be effective on the ground”.

He then insisted on the fact that a round table will assess, and if necessary requalify, the state of siege underway in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri since May 6, 2021.

He also talked about the ongoing disarmament program.

Even if Congolese authorities continue to accuse Rwanda of supporting the M23, the Rwandan government continues to brush aside these allegations out of hand.

Recently, the head of Rwandan diplomacy Vincent Biruta indicated that “the M23 should not be assimilated to Rwanda. This is not Rwanda’s problem to be solved”, accusing the international community of having “a wrong approach which will continue to exacerbate the problem”.