(MENAFN) Rwanda has announced its exit from the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) following rising tensions over its alleged involvement in the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo). The decision came after an ECCAS summit where Equatorial Guinea was retained as the bloc’s chair, a position Rwanda had expected to assume.

Rwanda’s Foreign Ministry accused ECCAS of deliberately ignoring Kigali’s right to the presidency and criticized what it called the “instrumentalization” of the bloc by the Congolese government. The ministry said Rwanda could no longer remain part of an organization that operates against its founding principles and violates its rights.

Kigali also protested its exclusion from a 2023 ECCAS meeting held in Kinshasa and condemned both the African Union and ECCAS leadership for failing to enforce internal rules. The ministry said the lack of response confirmed ECCAS’s inability to uphold its own regulations.

The dispute escalated amid intensified offensives by the M23 rebel group in eastern DR Congo, with militants capturing key cities and reportedly causing thousands of deaths. Congolese authorities and a UN expert panel have accused Rwanda of supporting the rebels militarily, a claim Rwanda denies, stating its forces only protect its borders.

The conflict has strained Rwanda’s relations with Western partners, including Belgium, leading Kigali to cut diplomatic ties with Brussels in March over accusations of interference.

In response, Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi’s office stated that ECCAS leaders recognized Rwanda’s aggression against DR Congo and urged Rwanda to withdraw its troops. The summit also recommended Equatorial Guinea continue leading ECCAS until the dispute with Rwanda is resolved.

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