The Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Didier Reynders has began a one week working trip in the Rwanda and DRC following accusations in a UN report that Rwanda was aiding congolese M23 rebels.
Mr. Reynders will first meet the congolese government officials over the crisis in Eastern DRC and later travel to meet the Rwanda government leadership including Foreign Affairs minister Louise Mushikiwabo and President Paul Kagame.
According to Belgium Foreign Affairs office,Reynders visit aims to “try to calm things down,” to encourage both parties to “maintain a dialogue” in “listening to the arguments of both sides.”
While in DRC, he will hold talks with his counterpart Raymond Tshibanda, President of the National Assembly, Aubin Minaku, and perhaps with President Joseph Kabila, as well as representatives of the political opposition and civil society.
He will also meet the “boss” of the UN Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO), the American diplomat Roger Meece.
He will then travel to Lubumbashi, capital of Katanga province (southeast), which hosts the mining companies and the headquarters.
Mr. Reynders will conclude his stay in Bukavu and Goma, the chief towns of North and South Kivu, the two most volatile provinces of the country, which still contain numerous armed groups.
According to levif.be, Belgium does not currently considering and, unlike some of its European partners, to suspend development aid to Rwanda (Euros 160 Million over three years). But as usual puts the issue of eastern Congo on the European agenda.
The fact that Rwanda has responded to the report of the expert group of the UN and is considered a “positive sign” in Brussels.
Mr. Reynders himself has repeatedly called Rwanda “to confirm that it is willing to not be a player problem but the solution,” it provides “better border control” and “prevents any support for rebels”.
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