President Paul Kagame on Monday, April 21, hosted Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe at Village Urugwiro for a discussion on the ongoing crisis in DR Congo and its implications on the Great Lakes Region.
The two leaders “discussed the progress of the regional processes towards achieving durable peace in the region,” Village Urugwiro said in a post on X.
Gnassingbe is the African Union’s newly appointed mediator for DR Congo conflict, a role that was previously held by Angola’s President Joao Lourenço, who is now the AU Chairperson. He also plays the mediator role between Rwanda and DR Congo, whose relations were affected by the conflict between the Congolese government and the AFC/M23 rebels.
President Kagame and President Gnassingbé last met on January 19 at Village Urugwiro, during the Togolese leader’s two-day official visit to Rwanda.
Rwanda has repeatedly raised concerns about the collaboration between the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) and the FDLR, a militia composed of elements responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Additionally, Kigali has expressed alarm over the intentions of the Congolese government coalition—which includes the FDLR, Western mercenaries, SADC forces, and Burundian troops—suggesting plans to launch attacks on Rwandan territory.
The situation in eastern DR Congo has significantly worsened since January, when AFC/M23 rebels seized control of the strategic cities of Goma and Bukavu.
While Kinshasa accuses Rwanda of backing the M23 rebels, Rwanda firmly denies these claims, emphasizing its focus on border security and defensive measures to guard against external threats.
Numerous peace efforts have so far failed to bring a lasting solution. The latest attempt is the AU-supported EAC-SADC initiative, which aims to unify the Nairobi and Luanda peace processes.
On April 10, direct negotiations between the Congolese government and AFC/M23 rebels were held in Doha, mediated by Qatar. However, the outcomes of these talks have not yet been disclosed to the public.
