Violence has reemerged in one of the world’s most protracted conflicts in eastern Congo, where Congo’s government accused the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group of “ethnic cleansing”
East African heads of state made another push for peace in eastern Congo on Saturday but its prospects remained bleak following a regional summit that was marked by the Congolese president’s absence and an early departure of his Rwandan counterpart.
A communique read at the end of the closed-door meeting of the East African Community in Arusha, Tanzania, only stated the need to combine regional and broader peace initiatives for sustainable peace in eastern Congo.
Violence has reemerged in one of the world’s most protracted conflicts in eastern Congo, where Congo’s government accused the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group of “ethnic cleansing” in mineral-rich areas close to Rwanda’s border.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame left shortly after the closed-door meeting in Arusha. There was no official explanation for Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi’s absence at the summit.
Congo alleges that Rwanda has been involved in war crimes in the east, and U.S. and U.N. experts accuse it of giving military backing to M23. Rwanda denies the claim, but in February admitted that it has troops and missile systems in eastern Congo to safeguard its security, pointing to a buildup of Congolese forces near the border. U.N. experts estimate there are up to 4,000 Rwandan forces in Congo.
A July truce brokered by the United States and Angola has reduced the fighting between Rwandan and Congolese forces, but fighting between M23 and other militias continues.
Other leaders at the summit were Presidents Salva Kiir of South Sudan, Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania, William Ruto of Kenya, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia. Burundi was represented by its vice president. Ruto was elected as the new chairperson of the EAC Summit, succeeding Kiir.
“Our focus must be on increasing competitiveness, promoting value-added production and boosting intra-regional trade to create jobs and transform our economies,” Ruto said.
He also urged member states to remain committed to the timely disbursement of statutory contributions to sustain the bloc’s operations.
Africa’s internally displaced population triples in 15 years
The number of internally displaced people (IDPs) in Africa has tripled to 35 million by 2023 since the adoption of a landmark treaty 15 years ago to address the issue, according to a new report by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center (IDMC). The report noted that this figure accounts for nearly half of the world’s total IDPs.
IDMC Director Alexandra Bilak said the displacement situation in Africa is absolutely critical, but not hopeless. “There are many good examples on the continent of governments working to address its root causes. It’s important for them to keep ownership of this issue and the international community to support their efforts.”
The report, titled “Internal Displacement in Africa: An Overview of Trends and Developments (2009-2023),” acknowledges progress by African governments but concludes that these efforts remain insufficient. Rising conflict and violence continue to drive the majority of displacement, with disasters also contributing to an increasing number of forced displacements.
According to the report, out of Africa’s 35 million IDPs, 32.5 million were displaced by conflict and violence, with 80 percent concentrated in just five countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Somalia, and Sudan.
The IDMC said the adoption of the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa, or the Kampala Convention, in 2009 marked a milestone in addressing internal displacement. When it entered into force on Dec. 6, 2012, it became the first and only legally binding regional treaty addressing all causes and phases of internal displacement.
Bilak said addressing displacement and helping people rebuild their lives require not only short-term relief but also long-term investments. “To reverse the trends and keep the promise of the Kampala Convention alive for the next 15 years, governments must redouble commitments to addressing displacement’s underlying drivers through peace-building, climate action, and sustainable development,” he said.
While some African countries have developed national policies and invested significantly in protecting and assisting IDPs under the convention, the report pointed out that escalating conflicts and a changing climate have made it difficult for governments to keep pace.
“Helping them find solutions to their displacement is part and parcel of reaching a country’s development goals,” added Bilak.
This year has become the worst year on record for deaths of aid workers, with 281 deaths globally, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Friday.
“Humanitarian workers are being killed at an unprecedented rate, their courage and humanity being met with bullets and bombs,” said Tom Fletcher, under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator. “This violence is unconscionable and devastating to aid operations. States and parties to conflict must protect humanitarians, uphold international law, prosecute those responsible, and call time on this era of impunity.”
OCHA said record fatalities also were recorded in 2023, with 280 aid workers killed across 33 countries. Stephane Dujarric, Chief Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, lamented last year’s record was topped, “and it isn’t even December”.
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