Dispite the growing violence in eastern Congo, President Felix Tshisekedi announced plans to form a government of national unity.
The statement, made Saturday during a meeting of the Sacred Union of the Nation ruling coalition, comes as M23 rebels continue their rapid advance, capturing major cities and killing thousands.
“I lost the battle and not the war. I must reach out to everyone, including the opposition. There will be a government of national unity,” Tshisekedi declared. However, he did not provide specifics on the structure or timeline of the new government.
The M23 rebels—one of more than 100 armed groups operating in the region—have seized control of key cities, including Goma, eastern Congo’s largest city, and Bukavu, the second largest. Their three-week offensive has left an estimated 3,000 people dead, with fears of further violence as the group pushes deeper into Congolese territory.
According to U.N. experts, the M23 rebels are bolstered by approximately 4,000 troops from neighboring Rwanda, raising tensions between the two countries. The rebels claim to be fighting to protect Tutsis and Congolese of Rwandan descent from discrimination while seeking to transform Congo into a stable, modern state. However, analysts view these claims as pretexts for Rwanda’s involvement.
Rwanda, in turn, has accused Congo of collaborating with ethnic Hutu fighters responsible for the 1994 Rwandan genocide, further complicating the conflict. The DRC government has officially classified M23 as a terrorist organization, while both the United Nations and the United States label it as an armed rebel group.
On Saturday, President Tshisekedi paid tribute to soldiers who died fighting the rebels, vowing to strengthen the military’s capacity to combat the insurgency. Despite recent setbacks, he emphasized that the war is not over and expressed confidence in the army’s ability to reclaim lost territory.
The escalating conflict has put immense pressure on Tshisekedi’s administration, with critics questioning his handling of the crisis. By forming a unity government, the president aims to unite political factions and rally national support against the M23 rebellion.
As violence continues to spread across eastern Congo, the success of Tshisekedi’s proposed government of national unity could be crucial in restoring stability and ending years of bloodshed in the region.
