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By Bronique Peter.

Congolese leader Félix Tshisekedi has pledged to reestablish governmental power in the east, where M23 rebels, allegedly supported by Rwanda, have taken over the city of Goma and are reportedly moving southward to expand their territory.

In a broadcast to the nation, he announced that a “forceful and well-organized response” against what he referred to as “terrorists” is already in motion.

He condemned the international community for its “passivity” and for failing to respond adequately to the intensifying security crisis.

The rebels’ ongoing offensive has raised alarms over an impending humanitarian disaster and has led to mounting international calls for an end to the hostilities.

During his address on Wednesday evening, Tshisekedi urged all Congolese citizens to unite and support the military’s efforts to regain control.

“Rest assured: the Democratic Republic of Congo will not allow itself to be belittled or vanquished. We shall resist and we shall prevail,” he stated.

The conflict has displaced approximately 500,000 individuals from their homes, exacerbating an already critical humanitarian situation, as reported by the UN.

Since the onset of the fighting, the city has been deprived of electricity and water, and food supplies are increasingly scarce.

What are the origins of the conflict in DR Congo?
Evidence demonstrating Rwanda’s support for rebels in DR Congo.

A virtual summit organized by East African regional leaders, held on Wednesday evening and led by Kenya’s President William Ruto, which Tshisekedi did not attend, called for a “peaceful resolution of the conflicts”.

Rwanda’s Paul Kagame was present, alongside the leaders from other member nations including Burundi, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Somalia.

The heads of state “strongly urged the government of DR Congo to engage directly with all parties involved, including the M23 and other armed factions that have grievances”.

Tshisekedi has continuously refused to engage in direct negotiations with the M23, insisting instead on discussions solely with Rwanda.

The East African leaders further requested a joint summit of their bloc and the leaders of the Southern African regional community (Sadc) to “discuss the way forward”. DR Congo is a participant in both the East African Community and Sadc.

Sadc is scheduled to convene a special summit in Zimbabwe on Friday for its heads of state to address the situation in DR Congo.

Tshisekedi honored the Sadc troops “standing with us” and the UN personnel who lost their lives in the aftermath of the rebel onslaught in Goma.

Thirteen South African peacekeepers have perished in the lethal strife in Goma, resulting in increased friction between South Africa and Rwanda.

On Wednesday evening, Kagame declared that Rwanda was poised for a clash with South Africa if required, in light of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s assertion that M23 combatants and Rwandan forces were accountable for the fatalities.

In a pointed statement directly addressing Ramaphosa on X, Kagame accused him of misrepresenting their private discussions regarding the unstable situation.

“If South Africa wishes to assist in fostering peaceful resolutions, that is commendable, but South Africa is ill-equipped to assume the role of a peacemaker or mediator. And if South Africa opts for conflict, Rwanda will confront the issue in that framework at any time,” he articulated.

Kagame further remarked that the Sadc mission in DR Congo, SAMIDRC, was “not a peacekeeping entity, and it has no relevance in this scenario.”

This exchange signifies a notable intensification of strains between the two countries, whose relationship has been tenuous for several years.

In the meantime, Angola urged the leaders of Congo and Rwanda to convene urgently in Luanda.

The nation, which facilitated a prior unsuccessful round of negotiations in December before M23 initiated its latest campaign, also advocated for the reinitiation of discussions led by the East African Community regarding the turmoil in eastern DR Congo.

This development coincided with Tshisekedi’s visit to Luanda to deliberate on the forthcoming phases of the Angola-led discussions.

Historically, both the EAC-led and Luanda peace initiatives have failed to alleviate the ongoing crisis.

In the wake of a rapid offensive over a matter of days, M23 is solidifying its hold on Goma and pushing further into the region. Reports indicate that the rebels have encountered no opposition thus far.

They are advancing southwards towards Bukavu, the second largest city in eastern DR Congo, where the Congolese army has established a defensive perimeter.

The UN, the European Union, and nations such as the US and China have all urged Rwandan forces to withdraw from DR Congo.

The DR Congo government and the UN assert that Rwanda is backing the M23 and maintains a presence in Goma. Rwanda does not categorically deny its support for the group, accusing Congolese officials of aiding militias attempting to destabilize the government in Kigali.

The UK and Germany are among the donor nations that have threatened to retract their assistance to Rwanda following the M23’s offensive.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated on Wednesday that £32m ($40m) of annual bilateral support hangs in the balance, while Germany has suspended aid discussions with the nation.

Further contributions by Nomsa Maseko in Johannesburg and Barbara Plett in Nairobi.