MOSCOW, March 27. /TASS/. Russia is fully aware of the danger emanating from the presence of terrorists and extremists in African countries and is in touch with African officials in this regard, Russian Special Presidential Envoy for the Middle East and Africa and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told journalists on Monday.
Earlier, speaking at the second Russia-Africa Inter-Parliamentary Conference, Jean-Pierre Kanefu, deputy quaestor of the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), urged that Russia provide assistance to combat the terrorist threat in the east of the country so as to restore peace and stability.
"Of course, our diplomatic and other agencies are in contact, since we realize the danger from the presence of terrorists and extremists in African countries," Bogdanov said, responding to a TASS request to comment on the Congolese politician’s remark.
Rebels from the March 23 Movement (M23) began an offensive in the eastern DRC in January 2021. Later, they managed to capture two cities in the province of North Kivu. Kinshasa accuses neighboring Rwanda of supporting the militants.
In June 2022, the leaders of the East African Community (EAC) decided to dispatch a peacekeeping contingent to the eastern DRC in a bid to stabilize the situation and shut down the M23 rebel’s combat operations. The DRC's leadership agreed to host the contingent provided that the peacekeepers did not include any Rwandan soldiers.
Founded in 2000, the EAC brings together Burundi, the DRC, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and South Sudan.