In China, Felix Tshisekedi once again questions the East African force deployed in the DRC

On the sidelines of his state visit to China, the DRC president once again criticized the East African Community (EAC) force deployed in the east of his country to fight against the M23 rebellion. Felix Tshisekedi, on the other hand, spared the Burundian contingent, during a meeting with the Congolese diaspora. Explanations.

Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi attends talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, May 26, 2023. REUTERS - THOMAS PETER

Text by: Paulina Zidi Follow

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The Congolese president continues his official trip to China. On Friday, May 26, he met with his counterpart Xi Jinping in Beijing. It is now expected in Shenzhen, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Upon his arrival in China, Felix Tshisekedi went to meet the Congolese diaspora before whom he spoke at length. He assured his audience that the presidential election would take place on December 20, castigating the position of the opposition that "does not know what it wants". "She denounced things, she denounced the CENI, the Constitutional Court. In the end, these same opponents joined the process anyway," he added.

The head of state also returned to the situation in the east of the DRC, denouncing "a cowardly and barbaric aggression on the part of Rwanda", referring to the conflict with the M23. Kinshasa has accused Rwanda for several months of being behind the M23 rebellion that seized part of North Kivu province before returning its positions to soldiers of the East African Force (EAC). Accusations taken up by the United Nations and several Western chancelleries, but totally swept away by Kigali.

Burundian contingent spared criticism

The president also once again questioned the action of the EAC, which includes soldiers from Burundi, South Sudan, Uganda and Kenya. Criticism has mainly targeted the Kenyan and Ugandan military, accused by the president of a "kind of collaboration between the EAC force and the rebels or terrorists of the M23". He added: "the exception of the Burundian contingent which applies in the true sense of the word, the agreements as they were planned. Proof of this is the intervention of Burundians when M23 terrorists began illegally collecting taxes in territories they occupied. As for the others, cohabitation continues.

>> Read also: DRC: Kinshasa files a complaint before the ICC against the M23

For several months, Kinshasa has been criticizing this regional force, including that of not applying the mandate described as "offensive" by the Congolese authorities. The president also made it clear about ten days ago, during a trip to Botswana, that the days of the mission were numbered: the mandate should end at the end of June.

To replace the EAC, the Congolese obtained the principle of a deployment of southern African forces, SADC. It could be effective between June 15 and 20, according to Kinshasa. A meeting of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is to be held in the coming days to determine the modalities.

Meanwhile, Malawi's Defence Minister, Harry Mkandawire, visited Goma earlier this week to assure his country's participation in restoring peace in eastern DRC.

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Read on on the same topics:

• DRC
• China
• M23
• Burundi