(L-R) Presidents Paul Kagame, Donald Trump and Tishekedi, after penning the recent peace agreement in Washington DC
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I Uganda is set to host a high-level summit of regional heads of government in Kampala aimed at addressing the escalating security crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), diplomatic sources have confirmed.
The summit, expected to take place next Sunday, will focus on the deteriorating situation in eastern DRC and the risk of the conflict spilling over into the wider Great Lakes region following recent fighting involving the M23 rebel group. The capture of Uvira, a strategic town near the Burundi border, has heightened regional and international concern.
An anonymous Ugandan government official confirmed preparations for the meeting, saying Kampala hopes to provide a neutral platform for urgent dialogue. “Uganda is engaging regional partners to prevent further destabilisation. The situation in eastern Congo now poses a direct threat to regional security, and leaders must act collectively,” the official said.
Uvira, which had been hosting key provincial institutions of South Kivu, was briefly seized by M23 rebels, raising fears of a broader regional confrontation. Although the rebels later announced a withdrawal from the city following pressure from the United States, conflicting reports suggest that M23 fighters may still maintain a presence there.
At the United Nations this week, the United States accused Rwanda of playing a direct role in the offensive. Addressing the Security Council, U.S. representative Mike Waltz alleged that Rwanda exercised “strategic control” over M23 and its political wing, the Congo River Alliance, and was involved in planning and executing the attack on Uvira.
Waltz further claimed that between 5,000 and 7,000 Rwandan troops were operating inside eastern Congo as of early December, alongside M23 fighters, supported by heavy artillery, surface-to-air missiles and suicide drones. Rwanda has repeatedly denied backing the rebels.
The planned Kampala summit is expected to bring together regional leaders to defuse tensions, revive diplomatic efforts and prevent the conflict from escalating into a wider regional war.
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