DRC - The Congolese government protests against Kenya for appointing a consul for Goma, occupied by M23 militias.

Kinshasa once again denounces another implicit act of recognition by Nairobi towards the armed group.

MADRID, 16 (EUROPA PRESS)

The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) protested this Saturday against Kenya's decision to appoint a consul general for the city of Goma, the capital of the Congolese province of North Kivu, under the control of the March 23 Movement (M23) militia. The Kinshasa government denounced this as a new maneuver by Nairobi authorities to legitimize the armed group.

Kenyan President William Ruto yesterday announced Judy Kiara Nkumiri as his diplomatic representative in Goma, a decision that has once again sparked protests from the Congolese government, as had happened in December 2023, when Nairobi became the stage for the unveiling of the Congo River Alliance (AFC), considered the political arm of the M23.

In its response published this Saturday, the Congolese Foreign Ministry initially denounced that it had not received notification of this appointment "through established diplomatic channels," before recalling that "the city of Goma remains under illegal occupation by the M23/AFC."

The Ministry also notes that it has been denouncing for months a campaign of atrocities committed by militias against the city's population, "as extensively documented in a recent report by the United Nations Group of Experts and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights."

"Any announcement regarding the appointment of a consul in Goma is particularly inappropriate and should not be considered without the approval of the Congolese authorities," the Ministry concluded.