U. S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Rwanda to discuss Congo tensions, human rights

Antony Blinken comes to Rwanda at a particularly difficult time for Africa's Great Lakes region, with the small central African nation at odds with vast neighbour Congo over allegations that both governments support rebels opposed to each other.

U. S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Rwanda, the last stop on his three-nation tour of Africa where he has articulated Washington's new strategy for engaging with sub-Saharan African nations as “equal partners".

Mr. Blinken comes to Rwanda at a particularly difficult time for Africa's Great Lakes region, with the small central African nation at odds with vast neighbour Congo over allegations that both governments support rebels opposed to each other.

In a meeting on August 11 with Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Mr. Blinken is expected to discuss efforts to ease the tensions. Rwanda is rejecting a new report by United Nations (UN) experts saying they have “solid evidence” that members of Rwanda's armed forces are conducting operations in eastern Congo in support of the M23 rebel group. Mr. Blinken has said reports of Rwanda's support for M23 appeared “credible”.

After meeting with authorities in Congo on Tuesday, he said the U. S. will support African-led efforts to end the fighting.

Rwandan authorities in turn accuse Congo of giving refuge to ethnic Hutu fighters who played roles in Rwanda's 1994 genocide that killed ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

There have long been tensions between the countries. In the late 1990s, Rwanda twice sent its forces deep into Congo, joining forces with rebel leader Laurent Kabila to depose the country's longtime dictator Mobutu Sese Seko.