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The President of Rwanda has expressed skepticism that a peace deal between his country and the Democratic Republic of the Congo will hold.
Some shit you should know before you read: Until recently, there was an ongoing war in the DRC that went all the way back to 2012 when the M23 rebels broke off from the Congolese army. At the time, M23 accused the government of failing to honor a peace agreement. This conflict was rooted in ethnic tensions, political power struggles, and control over the region’s vast mineral wealth, which includes trillions of dollars worth of rare earth materials such as cobalt, gold, and tin. Rwanda (which shares a border with the DRC) is accused of backing M23 by providing military support, weapons, and logistical assistance, all while profiting from the illegal export of these minerals. Despite the accusations, Rwanda denied any involvement, insisting its actions are focused on securing its border from armed groups operating within the DRC. Throughout the war, M23 has been accused of severe human rights abuses, including mass executions, recruitment of child soldiers, and rape, leading to mass displacements and a dire humanitarian crisis. Two weeks ago, the US rolled out sanctions against Rwanda’s Minister of State over accusations that he was assisting M23.
What’s going on now: In a notable development, Rwandan President Paul Kagame expressed skepticism that the recently brokered peace deal between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) would hold. Speaking at a press conference in Kigali, Kagame said Rwanda remained “committed to the agreement” but raised doubts about the DRC’s willingness to honor its obligations. “If the side that we are working with plays tricks and takes us back to the problem, then we deal with the problem like we have been dealing with it,” he stated, suggesting Rwanda reserves the right to act unilaterally if provoked. He added, “We are grateful to the Trump administration for its efforts, but if it doesn’t work, they aren’t the ones to blame.”
Kagame framed Rwanda’s continued military presence in eastern DRC as a defensive measure against the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an armed Hutu militia with ties to the perpetrators of the 1994 genocide. “The threat from FDLR is not imagined; it is real,” he implied, pressing the DRC to dismantle the group as a condition for sustained peace. The president warned that the success of the deal hinges on action against the FDLR, not just diplomatic moves.
This all comes as Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo signed a US-brokered peace deal in Washington aimed at ending decades of conflict in eastern DRC. The agreement mandates the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from Congolese territory within 90 days, the disarmament of all non-state armed groups, and the launch of a regional economic integration framework.
