UN Security Council Calls for Rwanda to Withdraw Support for M23 Rebel Group in DRC

The United States and China on Tuesday called on Rwanda to cease supporting the M23 rebel group, which has captured much of the Congolese city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The call came during a second emergency meeting of the UN Security Council in three days on the situation in the DRC. Slovenia also joined in criticizing Rwanda. The UN Security Council, following an emergency meeting on Sunday, managed to issue a statement but, due to Russia and African members of the Security Council, was unable to directly condemn Rwanda, which, according to the UN, is assisting the M23 rebel group with over a thousand troops in its attack on Goma. On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Rwandan President Paul Kagame and demanded the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from the DRC. The US Ambassador to the UN, Dorothy Shea, also called for an end to ethnic clashes in the Security Council. Her Chinese counterpart, Fu Cong, recommended that Rwanda heed the call of UN Secretary-General António Guterres to withdraw support for the M23. By Tuesday, rebels had seized much of Goma, including the airport, according to news agencies. The UN mission's deputy head in the DRC, Vivian van de Perre, reported continued attacks and civilian deaths via video link from the field. She called for action from the Security Council and stated that ethnically motivated attacks in the region with a sensitive history must be taken seriously. In 1994, Hutu militias carried out the Rwandan genocide, killing over half a million Tutsis, who now, under Kagame, lead the government and support the M23, which is predominantly composed of Tutsis. Van der Perre stated that UN mission personnel (MONUSCO) had taken in a large number of people from Goma for protection, but their military bases were not secure enough, and there were shortages of water, food, and medicine. The DRC's Foreign Minister called on the Security Council to impose sanctions against Rwanda for the second time in three days. The call for the withdrawal of Rwandan forces was also supported by the deputy Slovenian ambassador, Ondina Blokar Drobič. "Slovenia continues to call on Rwanda to withdraw its forces from the territory of the DRC and cease support for the M23. We strongly condemn the violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC," she said, describing the attack on Goma as a clear threat to regional stability. She also called for the protection of civilians, the opening of safe humanitarian corridors for the delivery of aid and the evacuation of civilians, and urged the warring parties to respect international law.