France, Jan. 29 -- The Congolese and Rwandan presidents were scheduled to hold talks at an emergency East African summit on Wednesday as M23 rebels, allegedly backed by Kigali, tighten their grip on the strategic eastern city of Goma.

Update13h30 UT:

Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi has decided not to attend a virtual crisis meeting with his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, scheduled for this Wednesday.

The meeting, organised by the East African Community and chaired by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, comes amid escalating tensions following the entry of Rwanda-backed fighters into the eastern DRC city of Goma.

The official Congolese Press Agency confirmed Tshisekedi's absence earlier in the day, signaling a worsening diplomatic...