M23 Rebels Refuse to Negotiate With DRC Authorities Due to EU Sanctions: AFC Coalition Spokesperson

The M23 rebel movement said on Monday that it had refused to participate in negotiations with the authorities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to resolve the conflict in the east of the country.

"The Congo River Alliance (AFC) deeply regrets that certain international institutions are deliberately undermining peace efforts in the DRC and obstructing the much-anticipated talks. Successive sanctions imposed on our members, including those enacted on the eve of the Luanda discussions, severely undermine direct dialogue and make any progress impossible. [...] Under these circumstances, the talks have become impracticable. Consequently, our organization can no longer continue to participate in the discussions," spokesperson for the AFC rebel coalition, which includes M23, Lawrence Kanyuka, said in a statement on Monday.

However, a day earlier, Kanyuka announced that the M23 movement sent a delegation to the Angolan capital Luanda to start direct negotiations with the authorities of the DRC to settle the conflict.

The rebels' refusal to participate in the talks follows the European Union's decision to impose sanctions on five senior leaders of the M23 group for serious human rights violations and sustaining the armed conflict in the eastern DRC.

"The EU has listed five senior leaders of the M23, a UN-sanctioned non-governmental armed group operating in eastern DRC, which sustains the armed conflict, instability, and insecurity in the DRC, in particular through inciting violence, and is responsible for serious human rights violations and abuses," read the statement issued on Monday.

The EU also imposed sanctions on three senior Rwandan military commanders and the head of its state mining agency, according to the statement.

"Today's listings also include the commander of the Special forces of the RDF [Rwandan Defense Forces] Ruki Karusisi, RDF major general and commander of the 3rd division Eugene Nkubito, and RDF brigadier general and commander of the 2nd division Pascal Muhizi. Due to their roles in the RDF, they are responsible for sustaining the armed conflict, instability and insecurity in the DRC," the EU said.

Meanwhile, Rwanda broke off diplomatic relations with Belgium, citing Brussels' "pitiful attempts to sustain its neocolonial delusions," and "systematical mobilizing against Rwanda in different forums," demanding all Belgian diplomats leave the country within 48 hours.

"Today, Belgium has clearly taken sides in a regional conflict and continues to systematically mobilize against Rwanda in different forums, using lies and manipulation to secure an unjustified hostile opinion of Rwanda, in an attempt to destabilize both Rwanda and the region," the Rwandan Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

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At the same time, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and East African Community (EAC) have committed themselves to urgently operationalize the joint roadmap for resolving the conflict in the eastern DRC, Zimbabwean Foreign Minister Amon Murvira said at the closing of the SADC-EAC ministerial meeting held in Zimbabwe's capital Harare on Monday.

"We have agreed that the security situation in the DRC demands that we reinvigorate our collective efforts towards peace, with a sense of urgency and in the spirit of Pan-Africanism. [...] As we head back to our capitals, it is important that we not only take concrete steps to operationalize our decisions, but also ensure their timely execution," local media quoted Murvira as saying.