Congo-Kinshasa (MNN) — Angola says it will mediate peace talks today between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and M23 rebels. A Congolese government spokesperson told Reuters that her office had received Angola’s invitation but had failed to confirm its participation in the talks.
The leaders of neighboring countries emphasize a peaceful way forward, as ongoing clashes threaten to destabilize the region. “A central Africa conflict has memories of Somalia, the bombings even in Nairobi, and there’s just not a big appetite to engage,” Unknown Nations’ Greg Kelley says.
“One of the real challenges of Eastern Congo is the historical relations with nearby Uganda and Rwanda. It’s probably the most complicated situation in Africa today.”
(Photo courtesy of Wendyfleury/Pixabay)
Although the DRC has a significantly larger land mass, the country struggles to protect its borders from incursions by neighboring nations.
“Rwanda and Uganda have been pushing in their military in the name of national security, conveniently inside the mines, so they’ve been taking out gold and stuff. So, the relations with those two countries are very fragile and hostile,” Kelley says.
“Unfortunately, Congo has been at the mercy of all these other bad actors, who are taking advantage of the lack of security and just taking their stuff.”
Prayer needed
Rebel forces have seized east Congo’s two biggest cities since January. At least 7,000 people have died in the fighting, and more than 600,000 people are on the run.
“The president of Congo made an offer to the United States for access to the minerals, and in exchange, there would be a US presence in Congo. How the State Department or President Trump responds to that is yet to be known,” Kelley says.
“Congo is wealthy from the standpoint of natural resources, but at the same time – short of maybe Sudan – it’s the most unstable place in the world.”
Pray for Unknown Nations and its partners in the DRC as they continue to distribute God’s Word and train leaders – despite the war raging around them. “In eastern Congo, 20 years ago, we built our first training center in the middle of this carnage. It’s been kind of a beachhead for the Gospel,” Kelley says.
“Those moments are a tremendous opportunity for the Gospel and to reinforce our efforts of discipleship because that’s the only thing that’s going to stop it (the war.)”
Pray also for the war to end. Kelley says, “It’s going to require a supernatural act of forgiveness because there is guilt to be shared in this situation. But when the blood of Jesus covers that, it can be a testimony, maybe like we’ve never seen before.”
Header image is a representative 2015 photo depicting Congolese soldiers on patrol in the Ituri district. (Wikimedia Commons)
