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At the end of the United States/Africa summit, Anthony Blinken, US Secretary of State, on December 15 asked Kigali to take action to allow the application of the Luanda agreement and therefore the withdrawal of the M23 rebel group.
Once again the United States is putting pressure on Rwandan President Paul Kagame regarding the security crisis linked to the rebellion. The United States, on the other hand, is rather isolated on this issue on the international scene, as explained by Jason Stearns, director of the Congo Study Group, a research center attached to New York University.
« In recent months when the United States has raised its voice to ask Rwanda to stop supporting the M23, Antony Blinken has been a little more polite this time. However, in other statements, members of the US Congress and even the US executive have been quite clear and forceful in their condemnation of Rwandan support. So I think it’s an extension of a policy that already existed and where the United States is diplomatically alone. Normally the United States develops its policy with privileged partners, especially within the United Nations Security Council – France and Britain — and it’s just these two countries, France and Britain, that are kind of blocking because, I think, because of their own interests in the region. These two countries have therefore been very reluctant even though, privately, the diplomats of these two countries acknowledge that this support exists “, points out.
Treatment difference
During the US/Africa summit, Paul Kagame did not meet Anthony Blinken, unlike Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi. The Rwandan president did not take part in the photo at the end of the summit around Joe Biden. Why this difference in treatment? Jason Stearns, gives us some answers.
« I think it’s about increasing the importance of the Congo to the United States. It’s not only because of the size of the country and democratic values, etc… but it’s also because of geopolitics. Congo is the largest producer of cobalt in the world and the largest producer of copper in Africa. There are also significant deposits of lithium and other minerals in the DRC. I think that’s part of the importance of the DRC and that’s why they met. That being the case, I think that for this Biden government, at least, there are also members who really insist on the values of democracy. The importance of Rwanda, as a partner in the region, has diminished significantly, moreover for some years. It’s not just under Biden. I think these are the factors that explain this commitment after Tshisekedi and this lack of importance for the meeting with Kagame », continues Jason Stearns, director of the Congo Study Group.
United States/Africa summit: Joe Biden acts on the diplomatic return of the United States to the continent
