Rwanda pulls out of regional bloc amid row with DRC

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Rwanda has pulled out of Central Africa's main economic bloc, accusing the organisation of siding with the Democratic Republic of Congo amid ongoing fighting in eastern DRC.

The move came after leaders of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) extended Equatorial Guinea's presidency of the organisation for another year on Saturday, bypassing Rwanda, which had been next in line for the rotating post.

M23 rebels, who UN and US experts say are backed by Rwanda, have seized key towns and swathes of territory in eastern DRC since January in fighting that has killed thousands.

An ECCAS commissioner, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said "it was tense between the Rwandan and DRC ministers", adding that the Congolese side warned they would not be able to travel to Rwanda for "community events" if Kigali assumed the presidency.

Belgium, the former colonial power in both countries, has joined other international critics in denouncing Kigali's support for M23, a group accused of committing multiple abuses.

Rwanda said in a statement on Saturday that it deplored an "instrumentalisation" of the bloc by the DRC with the support of "certain member states".

"Consequently, Rwanda sees no justification for remaining in an organisation whose current functioning runs counter to its founding principles and intended purpose," said the a statement from Rwanda's ministry of foreign affairs

Rwanda's Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe said on X that it was "unbelievable and unacceptable" that despite ongoing diplomatic talks between Kigali and Kinshasa, the DRC "is still whining around in all regional and international organisations accusing Rwanda for its own turpitudes, not to mention crying out for sanctions".

The presidents of Rwanda and the DRC, Paul Kagame and Felix Tshisekedi, met in Qatar in mid-March to discuss a possible ceasefire.

The two countries are also involved in talks brokered by the United States.