Several foreign diplomatic representations – among them the Brazilian Embassy – were attacked in the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (RDC), Kinshasa.
In a statement released on Tuesday night (28), Itamaraty expressed “serious concern” with the attacks and said that employees of the Brazilian embassy are well.
In the note, Brazilian diplomacy cites the “basic principle of the inviolability of diplomatic missions and the active obligation of the host country to ensure protection to mission personnel and their facilities”.
He then reiterates confidence that the Congolese government will strive to control the situation.
According to Itamaraty, the Brazilian flag was removed and taken by the crowd during the attack on diplomatic representation.
In another note, published earlier, the Brazilian government had already expressed concern about the discharge of violence in eastern RDC, especially in the city of Goma, and with the attacks registered in that country against the United Nations (UN) mission troops against mission troops (UN) and the community for the development of southern Africa, which would result in the death of 13 of its members.
The note recalls that Brazil is a traditional contributor to the mission that currently has the participation of 22 military personnel.
Understand
According to the international press, members of the M23 group took control of the airport from the largest city in the country, Gum, after the city’s capture “in an offensive that left bodies scattered throughout the streets.” Gum is in the far east of the country, on the border with Rwanda, and more than 2,000 kilometers away from the capital Kinshsa, located in the far west of the country.
The current situation is pointed out as the biggest climbing since 2012, in this conflict that has lasted three decades, amid disputes for control of mineral resources in the country. In addition to being rich in gold, the region has essential minerals for the production of cell phones and batteries for electric vehicles.
In September 2024, a United Nations mission in that country reported that the Rubaya mineral trade represents more than 15% of the global supply of tantalum, considered a critical mineral by the United States and the European Union.
UN
Given the situation in the country, the UN Security Council released, earlier this week, a note asking for the end of the M23 offensive in Congo. According to the UN, the group would be funded by the Rwanda government, which, so far, has not yet been confirmed – or denied – by the neighboring country.
The UN points out that the M23 would be “violating ceasefire defined in the peace process”, and that it should “reverse the territorial expansion of the last days”. According to the United Nations, the armed group would have taken control of two other Congolese cities: Masisi on January 4 and sake on the 23rd.
The note reaffirms “unshakable support” to the ongoing negotiation between the DRC and Rwanda led by the mediator designated by the African Union, the president of Angola, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço.
“For the board, these advances represent a serious violation of ceasefire and undermines efforts to achieve a peaceful and lasting political solution to conflict through the Luanda process [capital da Angola]”, Said the UN by expressing“ unshakable support ”to Angola’s mediation by a political solution between Congo and Rwanda.
*With information from Reuters
