Tshisekedi to urgently leave Germany as M23 advances in Eastern DRC

By The Inspirer.

The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Félix Tshisekedi, is set to leave Germany urgently following the capture of additional territories in the country’s eastern region by the armed group M23.

It has also been confirmed that Tshisekedi will not attend the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU), scheduled for February 15–16, 2025.

Tshisekedi is currently in Munich, Germany, attending a “major political and security conference that brought together nearly 70 countries,” as explained by his spokesperson, Tina Salama.

According to Jeune Afrique, Tshisekedi’s plane is scheduled to depart Germany at 8 PM and is expected to arrive in Kinshasa during the night of February 14 to February 15, 2025.

Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka will represent Tshisekedi at the AU summit and has already arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where the AU headquarters is located.

Tshisekedi’s urgent departure from Germany follows M23 rebels’ capture of several key locations, including the Kalehe center, Kavumu, and its airport, from the joint forces of the DRC military.

According to media reports in the DRC, Prime Minister Suminwa has been tasked with urging AU member states to condemn Rwanda, which Kinshasa accuses of supporting M23. However, Rwanda has repeatedly dismissed these allegations as baseless.

The AU summit will also include key decisions, such as the confirmation of Angola’s President João Lourenço as the new Chairperson of the AU and the election of a new AU Commission President.