Representatives from DR Congo's former Grande Orientale region declared their support for ex-president Joseph Kabila's new political-military movement in M23-held Goma on Saturday, accusing the government in Kinshasa of blocking peace efforts and demanding sweeping changes to the country's institutions.

Efolo Papy, speaking on behalf of the group, said their decision to back the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN) was driven by the need for fundamental political, economic and security reforms.

"We affirm our resolute political support for the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation and its president, and, to this end, we declare our patriotic alignment with this vital, constructive movement. Our position is rooted in the unshakeable conviction that the Democratic Republic of Congo requires a comprehensive and structural refoundation of its political, economic, security, and social institutions. We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to a united, indivisible, and inclusive Republic – one founded on democracy, the rule of law, social justice, the equality of all citizens before the law, and the sovereignty of the people."