UAE President congratulates Congo on Independence Day

President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Monday congratulated the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, on his country's Independence Day, as the UAE expressed support for the Central African country's ceasefire with Rwanda.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, sent similar cables. 

The UAE this weekend expressed its welcome of a ceasefire signed between the DRC and Rwanda in Washington, praising it as a step towards enhancing peace, security, and stability on the African continent. 

The deal, which contains provisions on issues including disarmament, the integration of non-state armed groups, was signed by  ministers from the DRC and Rwanda in the presence of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday. 

“This is a Great Day for Africa and, quite frankly, a Great Day for the World!” Trump said in a Truth Social post.

The eastern region of DRC has been subject to heavy fighting for decades, but fighting in the region escalated in January when the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group captured Goma, the mineral-rich area’s largest city. A few weeks later, the group seized the strategic town of Bukavu. Rwanda denies supporting the rebels.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced since the conflict escalated this year, while thousands have been killed.