Belgium, Burundi and DRC are working tirelessly to increase their military alliance and to execute heavy attacks against M23/AFC rebels as rumours have it, despite South African Development Community(SADC) and East African Community (EAC) efforts to restore regional peace.
SADC and EAC have been working tirelessly to find a solution to the conflict which was initiated by the M23 rebels (a minority group in DRC)on the basis of discrimination and a motive of fighting for their rights, something that has led to discourse in the region the past few months, and has had leaders on a pedestal since the capture and fall of Goma on January 27, 2025 trying to find a workable and long lasting solution.
According to sources from Great Lakes, in mid-March, there were several military flights from Brussels to Kinshasa, Brussels to Bujumbura, and Kinshasa back to Bujumbura. Some of the planes reportedly carried delegates while others carried logistics.
A falcon 8x plane that belongs to Belgian Air force was spotted on March 21, which is reported to have travelled from Melsbroeck military base in Brussels to Bujumbura, carrying three crew members. Burundi aviation authorities covered its landing permit up to the last minute when it landed, to avoid the flight showing up in the official registry.
The same flight reportedly left Burundi the next morning on March 22, with Burundian delegation of eight military personnel, on a yet-to-be identified mission. The Belgian air force plane had also been seen in Kinshasa four days earlier, it then headed to Kindu, the capital city of Maniema province, where up to 500 troops were deployed with drones and tanks to support DRC coalition forces in fighting the rebels.
On March 24, Boeing 727 of DRC Air force was expected fly from Kinshasa to Bujumbura, to deliver drones to Burundian army.
On March 25, Burundi’s president, His Excellency Evariste Ndayishimiye received DRC’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Therese kayikwamba, who allegedly, had a message to deliver for President Felix Tsishekedi.
“DRC wishes to strengthen and diversify the good bilateral relations between DRC and Burundi.” President Evariste revealed part of Tsishekedi’s message on his X post
Apparently, Kayikwamba and President Ndashimiye had an agreement to intensify a bilateral military cooperation which led to the deployment of over 15,000 soldiers from Burundi to Eastern DRC to fight M23 rebels.
In response to the alarming security situations, SADC has deployed troops to Eastern DRC, and also, countries like Malawi, South Africa and Malawi are providing military contingents to support Congolese government in countering M23 attacks.
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