{{Envoy says that if Washington believed Rwanda was no longer supporting Congo’s M23 rebels it may reconsider situation.}}
{The United States would consider resuming military aid to Rwanda if it found Rwandan support for Congo’s M23 rebel group had ended, a senior US official has said.}
On October 3, Washington said it would block US military aid to Rwanda because of its “support for the M23, a rebel group which continues to actively recruit and abduct children” and which has posed a threat to the stability of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Rwanda has repeatedly denied backing the rebels.
Under US sanctions, Rwanda does not get US International Military Education and Training funds, which help train foreign militaries, or US Foreign Military Financing, which funds the sale of US military equipment and services.
Russ Feingold, US special envoy to the Great Lakes region of Africa, told reporters that the United States would conduct an investigation and could lift the sanctions if it found that any Rwandan support for M23’s use of child soldiers had ceased.
“If it turns out that Rwanda is no longer involved in such activities, if it turns out that their role here has been a positive one – and there is much that they have done during this (peace) process to be positive … then we would certainly review whether it’s appropriate to continue these sanctions,” Feingold said.
“They are based specifically on certain actions that we believe occurred and if those actions cease, there would certainly be a serious review of whether it is appropriate to continue it (the sanctions).”
Source: {{Aljazeera}}
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