Rwanda announced on Sunday that it would be leaving the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) due to continuing tensions with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Earlier this year, the Rwanda-backed M23 militia group took control of vast areas in eastern Congo, including its two largest cities, which subsequently sparked a larger conflict between the two countries.
Rwanda’s ECCAS presidency turn blocked
Rwanda was set to assume the leadership of the 11-member ECCAS at a meeting on Saturday in Equatorial Guinea.
However, the bloc decided to allow Equatorial Guinea to retain the role, which Rwanda’s foreign ministry criticized as a breach of its rights.
Rwanda accused Congo of exploiting the bloc, stating in a statement that it sees “no justification for remaining in an organization whose current functioning contradicts its founding principles.”
More to follow…
Edited by: Roshni Majumdar
