Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame will attend a summit on Saturday to address the escalating crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
This comes after the M23 rebel group, backed by Rwanda, captured the major city of Goma last week and vowed to advance towards the capital, Kinshasa.
Tensions have soared, with Tshisekedi promising a strong military response and calling for international sanctions against Rwanda.
The two-day summit, hosted by Tanzania, will bring together leaders from eastern and southern African countries.
The M23’s offensive has exacerbated the decades-long conflict in the region, fueled by the exploitation of valuable mineral resources.
The fall of Goma has worsened the humanitarian situation and led to deadly clashes.
The M23 is now advancing towards Bukavu, the main city of South Kivu province.
While Bukavu remains calm for now, concerns are growing about potential reinforcements and arms shipments reaching the M23.
Meanwhile, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa reaffirmed his country’s support for the DRC despite the recent deaths of 14 South African soldiers serving on a peacekeeping mission.
The mission will be gradually withdrawn as confidence-building measures are implemented and a ceasefire takes hold.