President Kagame fires back at South Africa’s Ramaphosa over DRC conflict
Rwandan President Paul Kagame has lashed out at his South African counterpart over the escalating clashes in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
Rwandan President Paul Kagame has lashed out at his South African counterpart over the escalating clashes in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
This after Ramaphosa took to his X account on Wednesday announcing that his nation lost 13 soldiers who were part of a peacekeeping mission in DRC, calling on the involved parties to silence their guns.
“The territorial integrity of the DRC must be respected in accordance with the United Nations Charter on the respect of sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of other states,” Ramaphosa wrote.
In a swift rebuttal, President Kagame called Ramaphosa out for distorting and misrepresenting agreements they made during earlier talks held this week.
“What has been said about these conversations in the media by South African officials and President Ramaphosa himself contains a lot of distortion, deliberate attacks, and even lies,” Kagame wrote on X.
“If words can change so much from a conversation to a public statement, it says a lot about how these very important issues are being managed.”
Kagame went on to clear the air on Ramaphosa’s sentiments, noting that the South African’s head of state had earlier noted the 13 soldiers were killed by the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) and not the M23 group.
He added that Ramaphosa has never given a “warning” “unless it was delivered in his local language which I do not understand”.
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“He did ask for support to ensure the South African force has adequate electricity, food and water, which we shall help communicate,” he added.
Kagame therefore stated that South Africa has no authority to take on the role of a peacemaker or mediator but is welcome to show interest in the initiative.
“And if South Africa prefers confrontation, Rwanda will deal with the matter in that context any day,” Kagame added.
The Rwandan-backed M23 invaded Goma and its outskirts, making lightning advances to grab territory and expand its control over North Kivu province’s lucrative coltan, gold and tin ore mines in fighting that has worsened one of the world’s most dire humanitarian crises.
The group says it exists to protect Congo’s ethnic Tutsi population. Congo’s government says it is a Rwandan proxy.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame’s government has long denied supporting M23, despite findings to the contrary by numerous United Nations expert reports.
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