Rwanda, M23 and the conflict in Congo explained | Start Here

390,825 views Mar 2, 2025 #AJStartHere #CongoCrisis #AfricaNews
In just a few weeks, the M23 rebel group has taken control of a large area in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, including two major cities. What’s happening? What does Rwanda have to do with it? And how does it relate to the decades-long conflict in this region? #AJStartHere with Sandra Gathmann explains.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro

01:40 – How the current conflict has roots in the Rwandan genocide

02:40 – The First and Second Congo wars

03:58 – Who are the M23?

05:15 – How the M23 are backed by Rwanda

05:58 – What do the M23 and Rwanda want in eastern DRC?

07:37 – The battle over natural resources

08:25 – M23 and the Congo River Alliance (AFC)

09:22 – How the Congolese army is notoriously weak

10:40 – What’s being done to resolve the conflict?

12:00 – The impact on civilians caught up in the conflict

This episode features:

Richard Moncrieff | Project Director for the Great Lakes, International Crisis Group

Jason Stearns | Professor, Simon Fraser University; Director, Congo Research Group, NYU

Fred Bauma | Executive Director of Ebuteli

Maina King’ori | Regional Humanitarian Director of East and Central Africa, CARE

Crystal Orderson | Journalist