Rwanda has pulled out of Central Africa’s main economic bloc, accusing the organisation of siding with the Democratic Republic of Congo amid ongoing fighting in eastern DRC.
The move came after leaders of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) extended Equatorial Guinea’s presidency of the organisation for another year on Saturday, bypassing Rwanda, which had been next in line for the rotating post.
M23 rebels, who UN and US experts say are backed by Rwanda, have seized key towns and swathes of territory in eastern DRC since January in fighting that has killed thousands.
An ECCAS commissioner, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said “it was tense between the Rwandan and DRC ministers”, adding that the Congolese side warned they would not be able to travel to Rwanda for “community events” if Kigali assumed the presidency.