The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo is not willing to dialogue with Rwanda for peace to return to the eastern region of country, Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka has said.
Violent clashes have persisted between the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) and the M23 rebels who are said to be supported by Rwanda in the eastern region of the DR Congo causing a serious humanitarian crisis.
Speaking at press conference in Goma, North Kivu Province on Thursday, Suminwa said the position of the DR Congo will maintain the stance made by Head of State Félix Tshisekedi who has refused to hold any negotiations with the “aggressors”.
“I think that the Head of State Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo has been clear, we are not going to negotiate with those who attack us” the Prime Minister said.
“Now the diplomatic route, we have the agreements in particular from Luanda to see how the countries that attack us support who accompany us in this peace process can force those who attack us to stop When we look at the war effort, the resources we put into fighting those who attack us, Rwanda with their auxiliaries the M23, if that money was put for the development of the country I think we would already be far but unfortunately we are obliged to put all these resources at the level of the army and that is why I spoke to you about the rise in power of our army.”
Meanwhile, Angolan President João Lourenço, who has been appointed as mediator between DR Congo and Rwanda by the AU, says negotiations are underway for a meeting between Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame in order to achieve peace in eastern DRC.