Congo’s President Announces Plans for a Unity Government

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s President,  Félix Tshisekedi has announced plans to form a unity government as violence escalates in the country’s east and criticism mounts over his handling of the crisis.

In his first public remarks since Rwandan-backed M23 rebels seized key cities, Tshisekedi addressed members of the Sacred Union of the Nation ruling coalition on Saturday, urging unity amid growing internal divisions.

“I may have lost a battle, but not the war. I need to engage with everyone, including the opposition. A national unity government will be formed,” he declared, though he provided no details on its structure or timeline.

The M23 rebels, the most powerful among more than 100 armed groups in eastern Congo, have launched a rapid offensive, capturing major cities and leaving approximately 3,000 people dead. In three weeks, the group took control of Goma, the region’s main city, followed by Bukavu, the second-largest city.

According to U.N. experts, the rebels are supported by around 4,000 Rwandan troops and have at times threatened to march to Kinshasa, Congo’s capital, over 1,000 miles away. Rwanda, in turn, accused Congo of enlisting ethnic Hutu fighters associated with the 1994 genocide against Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

The M23 claims it is fighting to protect Tutsis and Congolese of Rwandan descent from discrimination and aims to modernize Congo. However, analysts suggest these justifications serve to mask Rwanda’s broader strategic interests in the region. Tshisekedi paid tribute to fallen soldiers on the 22nd of February and pledged to reinforce the Congolese military in response to the ongoing crisis.