Egypt Calls for a ‘Political Settlement’ to the Eastern Congo Crisis
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Aty has urged the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda to create space for a political settlement that could ease ongoing tensions and restore calm and stability in eastern Congo.
Eastern DRC has been witnessing an escalation in military conflict after the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group took control of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, at the end of January. According to the United Nations, the attack by M23 against Congolese forces has resulted in thousands of deaths and the displacement of more than 700,000 people.
During two phone calls over Saturday and Sunday with Thérèse Wagner, the DRC’s Foreign Minister, and Olivier Nduhungirehe, Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Abdel Aty stressed the importance of de-escalation, restraint, and efforts to calm the situation.
He also highlighted the need for practical steps to alleviate the worsening humanitarian crisis in eastern Congo, emphasizing Egypt’s willingness to provide any possible support to help mitigate the crisis.
