The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, announced on Monday the suspension of defence consultations with Kigali due to the involvement of Rwandan troops alongside the M23 rebels in eastern DR Congo.

In remarks made at the end of the EU Foreign Affairs Council, Mrs. Kallas said that, “... we discussed DR Congo. The situation is very grave, and it is on the brink of a regional conflict. Territorial integrity is non-negotiable in DR Congo as well as in Ukraine. The UN Charter applies everywhere. We support the Luanda-Nairobi peace process clearly, to achieve the results by diplomatic means, but we are also taking several steps. First, the EU defence consultations with Rwanda have been suspended. There is also a political decision to implement sanctions dependent on the situation on the ground. We have urged Rwanda to withdraw its troops, and the Memorandum of Understanding regarding critical raw materials will be under review."

Increased Pressure on Rwanda

The European Union's announcement intensifies international pressure on Rwanda. On Friday, the UN Security Council accused Kigali of supporting the M23 rebel group and demanded the immediate withdrawal of its troops from Congolese territory.

On Thursday, the United States announced sanctions against James Kabarebe, a retired Rwandan general and current Minister of State for Regional Integration, as well as Lawrence Kanyuka, the spokesperson for the M23 rebels.

Belgium has also suspended its military cooperation with Rwanda for the same reasons.

In a statement released last Wednesday, the International Contact Group for the Great Lakes Region, comprising representatives from Germany, Belgium, Denmark, the United States, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Switzerland and the European Union, called on the Rwandan army (FDR) to immediately withdraw from the DRC.