Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on January 30, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 26, 2026
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French Foreign Minister Barrot visits Kinshasa amid rising tensions with Rwanda-backed rebels. France seeks diplomatic solutions to the conflict.
KINSHASA (Reuters) - French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has arrived in Congo's capital Kinshasa, an official at the presidency said on Thursday, as Rwanda-backed rebels consolidated control of Goma in the east of the African country.
"The Minister of Foreign Affairs of France will be received in the next few minutes by the president," said Giscard Kusema, deputy director of press for President Felix Tshisekedi.
A French diplomat confirmed that Barrot had landed in Kinshasa, days after M23 rebels, with support from Rwandan troops, marched into Goma and were continuing their offensive southwards in the biggest escalation since 2012 of a decades-old conflict.
France's foreign ministry declined to comment.
Rioters stormed foreign embassies including the French mission in Kinshasa on Tuesday, drawing tear gas from police, in an eruption of protests over the conflict in the east.
Barrot said in parliament on Wednesday that there had to be diplomatic solution to the crisis and that Paris would do all it could to help mediation efforts between the two sides.
Rwanda has drawn an international backlash over its actions in Congo, with the United Nations warning the violence could spill over into a regional war.
(Reporting by Ange Kasongo and John Irish; Writing by Hereward Holland; Editing by Sharon Singleton and Kim Coghill)
The French Foreign Minister is Jean-Noël Barrot, who arrived in Kinshasa as part of diplomatic efforts.
Protests erupted over the conflict in eastern Congo, leading rioters to storm foreign embassies, including the French mission.
France's foreign minister emphasized the need for a diplomatic solution and stated that Paris would assist in mediation efforts.
The M23 rebels, backed by Rwandan troops, have marched into Goma and are continuing their offensive southwards.
Rwanda has faced international backlash, with the United Nations warning that the violence could escalate into a regional war.
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