President Macron urged Rwanda to cease supporting M23 rebels and withdraw its forces from DRC

“Rwanda and I reiterated this to President Paul Kagame, during a recent exchange, must stop supporting the M23 and withdraw its forces from Congolese territory. “ French President said this on April 30, 2024, with that of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) hold a joint press conference, after a working lunch, during which Emmanuel Macron calls for de-escalation in this plagued region to the crisis caused by the violence of several armed groups, including the rebellion of the March 23 Movement (M23).

The French head of state also stressed that "it is important, at the same time, to fight against hate speech and the action of the former FDLR Genocide perpetors ", a Hutu rebel group originally formed former Rwandan genocides perpetors.

“We who defend territorial integrity in Europe, we also defend it on the African continent. France will never compromise on the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the DRC. Then, we have no difficulty in pointing out responsibilities. France strongly condemns the action of all armed groups, and in particular the offensive of the M23, which must cease fighting and withdraw from all the territories it occupies. And the urgency is to defuse the situation. It is also important, at the same time, to fight against hate speech and the action of former FDLR genocides perpetors,” Macron added.

The RDC often accuses Rwanda of supporting M23, and having its troops on Congolese territory, but Rwanda continues to deny it.

When Macron was last in the DRC, in the months ago, he asked the Congolese to solve their own issues, instead of focusing on Rwanda.

At this time, Macron has become a contradiction of himself, accepting the dances of President Félix Tshisekedi, and his supporters.

This happened after the signing of various agreements; in the construction of infrastructure and investments including the construction of the railway corridor between the DRC and Angola, mineral mapping in the DRC, the extension of the Inga dam, and others, mentioned by President Emmanuel Macron.

As part of strengthening investments and trade between the two countries, he also announced the signing of a partnership between the French company Alstrom and Metro-Kin for the construction of an urban train network in Kinshasa.

 “The M23 is an empty shell brandished by Rwanda”: Tshisekedi

Félix Tshisekedi, on an official visit on April 29 and 30, affirmed that his country could “count on France, which will be at our side to regain” peace in the east of the DRC, adding that the M23 is a shell which Rwanda brandishes and that the Rwandan army must have left Congolese territory so that it is possible to discuss, but to discuss to agree on the fact that Rwanda has nothing more to come do it in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Félix Tshisekedi arrived Monday morning for a two-day official visit. This Tuesday, the President of the DRC visited the Military School alongside the French Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, before a working lunch at the Élysée with the French President, after which the two heads of state therefore gave a press conference.