The Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Prof Manasseh Nshuti, and members of the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee led by Amb. Michel Xavier Biang, held discussions on the situation in Eastern DRC on Monday, November 14. The officials came to Rwanda after a similar trip to Kinshasa, DRC. Over a decade ago, the UN Security Council – a 15-member body – has, on multiple occasions, imposed an arms embargo on Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). On June 30, 2022, the Council renewed the sanctions regime [of 2016] imposed on Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and extended it until August 1, 2023. The decision was made amid deteriorating security situation in the DRC, according to the UN. The sanctions require all States to refrain from, among other things, providing weapons to non-governmental entities [such as armed groups] operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There have been tensions between the DRC and Rwanda which resulted in the Congolese government expelling Rwanda’s Ambassador, Vincent Karega last month, over allegations that Rwanda backs the M23 rebel group. Rwanda described the expulsion of its envoy as a ‘regrettable’ decision “attempting to cover up their (Congolese Government) own governance and security failures.” Rwanda has accused DR Congo of embedding the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) – a militia formed by remnants of people who committed the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda in 1994 – into its national army, FARDC, and deliberately attacking it by shelling on its territory.
