A delegation from the European Union (EU) on Thursday, February 19, 206, met Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame and his Burundian counterpart Évariste Ndayishimiye to discuss the security situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Kagame’s office indicated that he held talks with Hadja Lahbib, European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, and Johan Borgstam, the EU Special Representative for the Great Lakes Region.
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The discussions focused “on ongoing continental and international efforts to address humanitarian needs.”
Earlier in the day, Lahbib shared on X that she had “a very fruitful exchange” with President Ndayishimiye.
“I expressed our solidarity and commended his country’s commitment to Congolese refugees. We are aligned on the need for close coordination in responding to the crisis and unimpeded humanitarian access,” she wrote.
Lahbib arrived in Kigali as part of a regional tour aimed at assessing the humanitarian crisis resulting from the conflict in eastern DR Congo.
During her visit, she also met with Félix Tshisekedi.
According to reports, the EU official is expected to meet leaders of the AFC/M23 in Goma on Friday, an armed group that controls swaths of eastern DR Congo.
Relations between DR Congo and Rwanda remain tense. Kinshasa has repeatedly accused Kigali of backing the M23 armed group—allegations Rwanda has consistently denied while DR Congo is accused of supporting FDLR, a Kinshasa-backed militia founded by remnants of perpetrators of the Genocide against the Tutsi in 1994.
Tensions between Rwanda and Burundi also remain high, following recent statements by Burundi’s president threatening war against Rwanda and the closure of the land border between the two sister countries.
 on Thursday, February 19, 206, met Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame and his Burundian counterpart Évariste Ndayishimiye to discuss the security situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).){kind=link}