DR Congo rejects Türkiye offer of mediation in spat with Rwanda 

The Democratic Republic of Congo has rejected the offer of mediation made by Türkiye to visiting Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

On Saturday, Congolese Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Gracia Yamba Kazadi, while receiving the Turkish Ambassador to the DRC, Husun Murat Ulku, said Kinshasa was banking on an “African solution” through the Luanda Process.

Turkey has positioned itself as a peacemaker in crises in Africa and the globe. Ankara recently successfully intervened in the dispute between Ethiopia and Somalia and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has offered to help ease tensions between Sudan and the United Arab Emirates.

On a different scale, Erdogan is also often cited in mediation efforts between Russia and Ukraine.

Kinshasa authorities however say "the DRC has not requested any mediation".

"African solutions must be found by Africans," Ms Yamba said.

She reiterated that Congo's position is to commit to the Luanda Process initiated by the African Union. The Vice-Minister nevertheless underlined the challenges facing this peace process, in particular "Rwanda's acts of sabotage, which are hindering the smooth running of the process."

Rwanda has criticised DRC's refusal to embrace dialogue with the M23.

President Félix Tshisekedi told diplomats a week ago that “dialogue with the M23 is a red line that the Democratic Republic of Congo will never cross”.

Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe responded, saying "the Luanda process will never be able to resume and succeed without a firm commitment from the Democratic Republic of Congo to engage in direct dialogue with the AFC/M23."

Now, with fears that Goma could fall to the M23, the AU mediator, Angolan President João Lourenço, has urged the parties to resume dialogue.

The Angolan Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement “urging the parties to return immediately to the negotiating table”. The statement added that "the security challenges and conflict in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo have no military solution."

The DRC has instead requested "an emergency public session of the UN Security Council in view of the worsening situation in North Kivu." The session will be held Sunday.

Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba exchanged views with representatives of countries on the Security Council, including China, Russia, the United States of America, Pakistan and Denmark, as well as representatives of African countries on the Security Council, Somalia, Sierra Leone and Algeria.

Kayikwamba stressed "the importance for each member, in particular the African countries, to assume their historic responsibilities in the face of this crisis, which has been destabilising the Great Lakes region for over 30 years."