The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has decided to hold off on signing a major security agreement between the East African Community (EAC) and China, signaling some serious concerns about the lack of action against the ongoing M23 rebellion.
At a high-stakes ministerial dialogue that brought together East African police chiefs and China’s Ministry of Public Security, Jacquemain Shabani, the DRC’s Deputy Prime Minister of the Interior and Security, made it clear: Kinshasa won’t be putting pen to paper on any Memorandum of Understanding until the EAC officially condemns the M23 insurgency.
“Allow me, as Minister of the Interior of the DRC, to underline our reservation regarding this memorandum of understanding that was signed today.”
He called out the EAC for not addressing what he called territorial violations by the M23 rebels, which have hit the DRC hard. Until the bloc steps up and condemns the insurgents, the DRC will be focusing on strengthening its bilateral relationship with China instead.
“Being a member of the East African community, mastering and realizing the values and principles of our community, which were recalled during our discussions today, among others the protection of the territories of our different countries, principles violated against our country, the Democratic Republic of Congo and until now never condemned by the East African community. The DRC expresses its reservation and will prioritize its bilateral relationship between it and the People’s Republic of China,” Shabani said.
Despite the current holdout, Shabani acknowledged the importance of the first-ever ministerial dialogue with China, saying it could lay the foundation for a new kind of cooperation in law enforcement and security between the two regions. But he also didn’t shy away from keeping the pressure on the EAC, saying the DRC still wants to work with the community to ensure the security and well-being of its people.
The M23 rebellion, which has been wreaking havoc in eastern DRC, remains a flashpoint in the region, with allegations that some EAC members have provided covert support to the insurgents.
Kinshasa’s message is loud and clear: before any deals are made, the EAC needs to show where it really stands.
