Rwanda Announces Withdrawal from ECCAS Amid Deepening Rift Over Congo Conflict

 In a move that highlights escalating regional tensions, Rwanda has formally declared its intention to withdraw from the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), citing serious concerns over the bloc’s handling of diplomatic processes and what it called the “instrumentalization” of the organization by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The announcement follows a contentious summit held on Saturday in Equatorial Guinea, where Rwanda had been slated to assume the rotating chairmanship of the 11-member regional body. Instead, ECCAS leaders voted to extend Equatorial Guinea’s term—a decision that Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned as a violation of its legitimate rights, stating that the bloc was no longer functioning in line with its founding principles.

“Rwanda sees no justification for remaining in an organization whose current functioning runs counter to its objectives,” the Rwandan government said in an official statement. However, it remains unclear whether the withdrawal will take immediate effect.

The office of DRC President Félix Tshisekedi issued its own statement welcoming ECCAS’ position, saying that member states acknowledged “aggression” by Rwanda and called for the immediate withdrawal of Rwandan forces from Congolese territory.

The diplomatic fallout is directly linked to renewed hostilities in eastern Congo, where the M23 rebel group—widely believed to be backed by Rwanda—has seized major cities, displacing thousands and escalating fears of a broader regional conflict. The United Nations, along with several Western nations, have accused Kigali of providing arms and military support to M23. Rwanda has repeatedly denied these allegations, asserting that its actions are in self-defence against cross-border threats, including Hutu militias with links to the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

As peace remains elusive, international mediation efforts involving the African Union, the United States, and Qatar are underway, with the aim of securing a lasting ceasefire and paving the way for major Western investments in the region’s vast mineral wealth. The eastern Congo is home to critical resources such as gold, cobalt, copper, lithium, and tantalum, essential for global technology and energy supply chains.

Founded in the 1980s, ECCAS was designed to foster regional cooperation on economic and security matters across Central Africa. Rwanda’s exit marks a significant blow to the organization’s unity and raises broader questions about its capacity to mediate conflict in one of Africa’s most volatile regions.