U.S. condemns Rwanda’s support for M23’s violent attack in eastern Congo – Newstrends
Connect with us

Africa

U.S. condemns Rwanda’s support for M23’s violent attack in eastern Congo

Published

9 months ago

on

U.S. condemns Rwanda’s support for M23’s violent attack in eastern Congo

The United States government has expressed strong disapproval of the Rwandan government’s backing of the M23 armed group, which is presently carrying out violent attacks in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.  

Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, issued this announcement through a press release titled “Escalation of Hostilities in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo,” available on the Department’s website.  

The statement highlighted that the M23 armed group, supported by the Rwandan government, is currently subject to sanctions imposed by both the U.S. and the U.N. for various violations.  

Furthermore, it underscored that the M23 armed group had launched an incursion into the town of Sake in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, resulting in egregious human rights abuses such as displacement, deprivation, and attacks. 

Additionally, the statement emphasized the United States government’s call for Rwanda to promptly withdraw all Rwanda Defense Force personnel from the DRC and dismantle its surface-to-air missile systems.  

Moreover, the US government called on the M23 armed group to immediately cease hostilities and retreat from its current positions surrounding Sake and Goma.  

  • “We call on M23 to immediately cease hostilities and withdraw from its current positions around Sake and Goma and in accordance with the Luanda and Nairobi processes.   
  • “The United States condemns Rwanda’s support for the M23 armed group and calls on Rwanda to immediately withdraw all Rwanda Defense Force personnel from the DRC and remove its surface-to-air missile systems, which threaten the lives of civilians, UN and other regional peacekeepers, humanitarian actors, and commercial flights in eastern DRC,” the statement read in part.  

READ ALSO:

More insights  

  • Miller also emphasized that every state involved in the conflict must respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and they should hold all individuals accountable for human rights violations in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) conflict.  
  • Additionally, the United States government urged the DRC government to persist in supporting confidence-building measures, which should involve discontinuing cooperation with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an armed group labeled as a “negative force” by regional entities and the DRC government, because the FDLR’s activities endanger civilian populations.  
  • “We continue to support regional diplomatic efforts that promote de-escalation and create the conditions for lasting peace in DRC and we call on all sides to participate constructively in reaching a negotiated solution,” the statement added.   

Backstory  

  • Over the span of three decades, the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been marred by persistent violent conflicts, particularly along its border with Rwanda, involving over 100 rebel factions. 
  • Presently, the border towns of Sake and Goma are engulfed in an ongoing conflict, with the rebel group known as the March 23 (M23) movement, allegedly supported by the Rwandan government, is conducting attacks on civilians and engaging in mortar exchanges with the DRC army. 
  • While the M23 insurgency purports to defend the rights of the Congolese Tutsi community against Rwandan Hutu killers who fled after the genocide, the abundant mineral resources in the border region serve as a significant incentive. 
  • Social media platforms are inundated with images depicting the severity of the hostilities in eastern DRC, prompting a mass exodus of civilians fleeing for safety.

U.S. condemns Rwanda’s support for M23’s violent attack in eastern Congo

Related Topics:
Advertisement

Africa

ECOWAS small business group proposes railway corridor for member states

Published

2 days ago

on

November 25, 2024

By

ECOWAS small business group proposes railway corridor for member states

Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the ECOWAS region, under the ECOWAS Small Business Coalition (ESBC), have called for the establishment of a railway corridor linking all member countries, alongside the existing road network.

The proposal was made at the end of their inaugural exhibition and workshop, which took place from November 21 to November 23 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the event, organized by the ESBC in partnership with the ECOWAS Commission and Ivory Coast’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, brought together small business operators from across the region.

The coalition highlighted the challenges faced by SMEs in transporting goods and services within the ECOWAS subregion.

They emphasized the need for better communication and a clearer understanding of cross-border trade obligations, as well as improvements in the movement of goods and people.

While ECOWAS has confirmed the free movement of goods and people under existing protocols, it clarified that such movements still require compliance with formalities and customs duties.

Addressing transportation and trade barriers 

NAN reports that during the workshop, members of the ESBC presented a range of proposals to address transportation challenges.

READ ALSO:

They called for an end to cross-border harassment and corruption, which they attributed to the imposition of unnecessary taxes.

They also suggested that local Small Business Coalitions (SBCs) should be empowered to issue certificates of origin to entrepreneurs to streamline trade processes.

Additionally, the coalition proposed the establishment of online training platforms for SBCs to enhance their capacity to support SMEs.

Proposals for improving access to information and financing 

  • The coalition also noted the importance of access to information for the success of SMEs and urged them to take advantage of policies such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and ECOWAS frameworks.
  • They called for greater awareness of these initiatives to help SMEs navigate trade barriers.
  • Furthermore, reports inform that the coalition underscored the need for the harmonization of fiscal policies across the ECOWAS region and advised SMEs to choose suitable business models and consult advisory firms for better guidance.

Innovation and sustainable development for SMEs 

  • The coalition also discussed the need for greater innovation and sustainability in the region’s SMEs to enhance their competitiveness.
  • They proposed training programs focused on certification, efficient technology transfer, and increased research to help businesses expand across borders.
  • Despite the availability of financing mechanisms for SMEs, the coalition pointed out that many small businesses struggle to access these funds due to inadequate resources and poor absorption capacity.
  • In response, they suggested focusing on promoting new business models suited to African realities and learning from the BRICS nations’ approach to economic development.

Future initiatives for strengthening SMEs 

  • ESBC proposed several initiatives to further support SMEs in the region.
  • These included the creation of an ESBC television network to raise awareness, the establishment of a dedicated bank for SME financing, and the development of strategies to encourage a common currency within ECOWAS.
  • They also called for the removal of customs and monetary barriers and the establishment of international shipping lines to improve logistics. To address the needs of landlocked countries, the coalition proposed facilitating better access to ports for these nations.
  • The ESBC concluded that substantial work remains to be done to enhance the competitiveness and growth of SMEs in the ECOWAS region, particularly in the areas of innovation, financing, and cross-border trade facilitation.

ECOWAS small business group proposes railway corridor for member states

Continue Reading

Africa

Boyfriend of murdered Kenyan journalist arrested

Published

2 weeks ago

on

November 10, 2024

By

George Mwenda Mutegi and Lilian Achieng Aluko
Boyfriend of murdered Kenyan journalist arrested
A man has been arrested in connection with the brutal killing of Kenyan journalist, Lilian Achieng Aluko, whose body was discovered in a house in Kahawa West, Nairobi, Kenya.
Lilian, who was a presenter at Radio 44, a local radio station, was found dead at her boyfriend’s house with injuries on her face and a stab wound at the back on November 1, 2024.
A day before her death, the 33-year-old had informed her family that she would be spending the night at her boyfriend’s place.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in a statement on Friday said the suspect, believed to be Achieng’s boyfriend, was apprehended in the Kaanwa area of Tharaka Nithi County.
The DCI worked closely with local authorities in Meru County to track down the suspect, whose movements had been monitored since he disappeared on November 1.
Police investigations revealed that Achieng and the suspect spent the evening at a local spot before heading to the suspect’s house in Kahawa West.
“George Mwenda Mutegi, the prime suspect in the monstrous murder of Ms Lilian Achieng Aluko has been arrested after days of scrupulous manhunt. Mutegi was smoked out of his hideaway at Kaanwa area of Tharaka Nithi county,” the statement read.
READ ALSO:
“The suspect’s arrest by a combined team of hawkshaws from DCI Hqs augmented by their Meru counterparts is a culmination of days of meticulous investigations launched on 1st November, 2024, the night Mutegi is believed to have murdered his girlfriend. After the heinous killing, Mutegi disappeared and erased his footprints.
“Police and the neighbours would only wake up to a slain Achieng, whose lifeless body lay soaked in blood with a stab wound at the back of her right ear and visible injuries on her face and hips.
“Probing the case, police found out that the two lovebirds had on the fateful night had a good time at a local establishment, before retreating to the boyfriend’s place of abode in Kahawa West.
“In an ugly turn of events, the attention of the neighbours was drawn to loud screams from Mutegi’s locked house, which were quickly deafened by loud noise from his sound system.
“Unaware that the distress call was the last Achieng would ever make, the neighbours went back to their houses hoping that the duo would resolve their issues.
“That night, the life of a 33-year-old lady with a blossoming career as a presenter at a local radio station was ended.
“The suspect is currently being processed for arraignment as the DCI continues to investigate all other cases of a similar nature to ensure justice for all victims.”

Boyfriend of murdered Kenyan journalist arrested

Continue Reading

Africa

Baltasar Engonga: I dated him for four years, lady says, sues for betrayal

Published

2 weeks ago

on

November 10, 2024

By

Cristel Nchama and Baltasar Engonga

Baltasar Engonga: I dated him for four years, lady says, sues for betrayal

Cristel Nchama, one of the women appearing in viral explicit videos allegedly involving Baltasar Engonga, the former director-general of Equatorial Guinea’s National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF), has filed a formal complaint with the National Gendarmerie in Malabo.

Engonga has been the focus of intense public scrutiny after investigators, probing allegations of fraud, searched his home and office and reportedly uncovered approximately 400 explicit videos featuring him with multiple women.

The tapes allegedly show Baltasar Engonga with his brother’s wife, his cousin, the sister of the country’s president, the wife of the director-general of police, and around 20 wives of ministers, among others.

The recordings, which have since gone viral, are said to have taken place in Engonga’s office, hotels, and bathrooms, purportedly with the consent of those involved.

READ ALSO:

In her complaint, Nchama disclosed that she had been in a four-year relationship with Engonga and expressed profound distress over the public leak of the videos, which she says has harmed her reputation.

Nchama claimed that Engonga “misled” her into trusting him and that she had initially resisted being filmed, under the impression that any recordings would be deleted.

She also claimed to have been “betrayed” by Bello for publishing the videos.

“I am humiliated,” she stated. “It is my reputation, my honour. I want to know where these images came from and why he kept the images.”

In addition to filing her complaint, Nchama has demanded reparations from Engonga for the damage caused to her reputation and personal dignity.

Following the scandal, the government dismissed Engonga from his position at ANIF on Thursday.

Officials also announced the suspension of various public officials allegedly involved in sexual activities within government offices.

Baltasar Engonga: I dated him for four years, lady says, sues for betrayal

Continue Reading

Trending