Congo’s President Tshisekedi calls for sanctions against Rwanda

Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi called on the international community to sanction Rwanda for its role in “destabilizing” his country Wednesday as he addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

“The resurgence of terrorist group M23, supported by Rwanda, has provoked a humanitarian crisis without precedent,” Tshisekedi said, adding more than 7 million people in the DRC had been internally displaced by the fighting.

UN experts have said previously that between 3,000 and 4,000 Rwandan troops are in Congo operating with the M23 rebel group, which has been in conflict with Congolese troops for a decade.

Tshisekedi called on the UN to “intensify its actions to implement the recommendations” of the global coalition against the Islamic State, of which DRC is a member, and deplored the fact that terrorism “now seems to be taking root in Africa.”