Nangaa described the withdrawal as a trust-building measure amid ongoing accusations that Rwanda is backing the rebel forces, an allegation that Rwanda continues to deny. The announcement comes shortly after Rwanda's President, Paul Kagame, and DR Congo's President, Felix Tshisekedi, signed a peace accord in Washington, an occurrence heralded as a significant milestone.
This peace agreement, lauded by US President Trump, aims to pave the way for increased American investment in the resource-rich region of the DR Congo, which is reported to have mineral reserves worth about $25 trillion. The rebels, however, have not previously been recognized as signatories to this deal and are pursuing their peace negotiations with support from Qatar.
The M23 rebel group, which includes Nangaa's coalition of fighters, has significantly expanded its control in recent months, capturing key cities including Goma and Bukavu. Their advance toward Uvira is perceived as a major threat to the DR Congo army, which has been compelled to withdraw in the face of rebel offensives. A call for deploying a neutral force to monitor the ceasefire has been suggested to prevent further escalation and ensure that the ceasefire is maintained.
