Qatar is on a marathon engaging Kigali and Kinshasa behind the curtains as Doha seeks to bring President Paul Kagame and President Felix Tshisekedi on a round table for urgent talks to end the wrangles between their countries.
Qatar, which hosts several diplomatic meetings, had planned a meeting on Monday, January 23, between Kagame and Tshisekedi. But the Congolese President refused to participate, citing doubts about the envisaged agreement, according to an African diplomat contacted by AFP on condition of anonymity.
“The planned meeting between the presidents of Rwanda and the DRC has been postponed until further notice…Qatar is optimistic that the meeting will be held on a date yet to be determined,” said a source within the Qatari Foreign Ministry, who asked to remain anonymous.
However, Kigali is impatiently awaiting the Doha meeting between the two presidents, to strengthen the ongoing talks, Rwandan government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo said, adding that “Kigali is always ready to contribute to peace and security in the region”.
Kinshasa has not indicated whether it will come to the Doha mediated talks.
Another diplomatic source on condition of anonymity quoted by foreign press, indicated that a high-level meeting took place between the DRC and Rwanda at the end of last year during the World Cup in Qatar.
Kinshasa has repeatedly failed to implement the recommendations of the Nairobi and Luanda treaties and repeatedly accused Rwanda of aiding the M23 rebels a claim Kigali has vehemently rejected.
According to Kigali and realistic evidence on ground, the Congolese army coalesces with the Rwandan FDLR rebels in the fight against M23 rebels. The FDLR has on various occasions launched strikes on Rwanda territory claiming lives and destroying property.
Kinshasa war planes have violated Rwandan airspace which Kigali describes as an act of aggression.
On Tuesday, January 24, Rwanda said it had fired on a Congolese military plane “Sukhoi”, which had violated its airspace.
It should be noted that fighting continues between the FARDC and the M23, which conquered the locality of Kitchanga on Thursday, January 26, in the evening despite a ceasefire signed in Luanda between DRC and Angola at the end of last year.
