OPINION

Another Major War Looms with Western Backing

Congo-Rwanda Conflict: Western Role in Escalating Crisis

It seems the world is thirsty for more bloodshed. Another major conflict is knocking at the door, threatening to shatter the global order. This week, rebels launched a devastating attack on the largest city in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), seizing control. People accuse neighboring Rwanda of supporting these rebels, and this incident’s tension could have far-reaching consequences beyond Africa.

This crisis also exposes the complacency of Western governments. Many in Congo blame Western powers for fueling this turmoil.

The rebel group, known as M-23, has been active since 2021. In recent months, they have taken control of vast territories around Goma, a city near the Rwandan border located at the foot of a volcano. This week, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on Rwanda to stop supporting M-23 and withdraw its troops from Congolese soil. He warned that the conflict could have catastrophic consequences for millions of civilians relying on UN aid. In Kinshasa, the capital of the DRC, angry protesters set fires and attacked the embassies of Rwanda, France, and the United States.

For over three decades, Rwandan President Paul Kagame has backed several rebellions in Congo, with M-23 being the latest. Kagame, a favorite of many Western nations, rose to power in the aftermath of the 1994 genocide, where he fought as a rebel commander against the perpetrators.

Kagame has long argued that his intervention in the DRC is aimed at protecting his ethnic Tutsi community. Since Kagame came to power, Rwanda and Congo have fought multiple wars, driven not just by ethnic tensions but also by Rwanda’s interest in the DRC’s vast natural resources. In the 1990s, Rwandan-backed rebels controlled parts of eastern Congo, exploiting its rich mineral wealth.

After a national agreement in 2002, Congolese Tutsi military and political institutions were integrated into the UN’s largest peacekeeping mission. However, some factions rebelled again in 2004 and 2008, demanding greater military advantages and access to resources.

In 2012, the rebellion resurfaced, leading to the formation of M-23. This time, the rebels took control of Goma with little resistance.

Throughout this cycle of conflict, Western officials have largely sided with Rwanda, despite ample evidence of Rwandan support for the rebels. Kagame has charmed Western donors with his efficient implementation of aid projects, presenting post-genocide Rwanda as a success story. It was only in 2012, when a UN Security Council investigation revealed Rwanda’s deep involvement in supporting Congolese rebels, that the UK, EU, and US temporarily suspended aid. Today, a third of Rwanda’s budget comes from donor countries.

In 2019, after President Félix Tshisekedi came to power in the DRC, he invited Rwandan troops to attack Rwandan-backed rebels in the eastern region. Some of these rebel commanders were involved in the 1994 genocide.

Amid this instability, M-23 rebels positioned themselves around Congo’s volcanoes and sought external support. Since 2021, M-23 has intensified its activities after talks to integrate some of its members into state institutions collapsed.

Rwanda became even more valuable to Western allies during this time. In mid-2021, thousands of Rwandan troops were deployed to northern Mozambique to combat Islamic State militants near a major gas field operated by France’s TotalEnergies. The EU provided economic support for Rwanda’s mission, and Rwanda also secured significant energy deals with Belgium. Critics argue that Rwanda has used mineral and energy agreements with the West to legitimize its actions in Congo.

Following last week’s events, Western governments, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have called on Kagame to withdraw troops from the DRC. However, it remains uncertain whether Kagame will heed these calls, as he now looks to alternative allies like Turkey and Qatar.

Meanwhile, the Congolese government has formed unconventional military alliances, deploying troops from South Africa and Tanzania to fight Rwandan-backed Hutu rebels. Hundreds of mercenaries supporting the Congolese army have surrendered in Eastern Europe. Some Western diplomats fear the Congolese military may seek Russian assistance to combat the rebels.

Western officials must now use their influence to push M-23 toward a political resolution. Failure to do so could trigger a devastating war in Congo, drawing in regional players and creating opportunities for military coups and Russian intervention in Central Africa. The stakes are high, and the world must act before it’s too late.

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