Rwanda calls on foreign troops to reconsider involvement in DRCnflict

By Our Correspondent, KIGALI Rwanda

In an exclusive interview with the Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA), Rwanda’s Foreign Affairs Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe addressed the escalating conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), calling on foreign countries involved in the conflict to reconsider their presence.

Speaking after the 5th ministerial meeting of the Luanda Process, held in Angola on October 12, 2024, Nduhungirehe urged nations like Burundi, SAMIDRC contingents, and European mercenaries fighting alongside the Congolese army (FARDC) and FDLR rebels to reassess their involvement, warning that their presence violates international law and is exacerbating tensions.

“These foreign forces need to think twice about their involvement in eastern DRC, as they are further inflaming an already tense and dangerous conflict,” Nduhungirehe told RBA. He expressed concern that foreign military intervention, rather than helping to resolve the crisis, is deepening instability in the region.

The minister highlighted that these interventions, often motivated by external interests, are worsening the situation in eastern DRC, where multiple armed groups and foreign actors have long contributed to violence and displacement.

In addition to addressing foreign involvement, Nduhungirehe called on the DRC government to take ownership of the crisis and stop using Rwanda as a scapegoat. He urged Congolese authorities to engage in direct political dialogue with the M23 rebel group and address the root causes of the conflict, including hate speech, historical marginalization, and the persecution of the Congolese Tutsi community.

“The DRC must stop scapegoating Rwanda in international forums and visits. It is essential that they take ownership of this crisis and initiate a direct political dialogue with M23 to resolve the root causes of the conflict,” Nduhungirehe emphasized.

One of the key issues Nduhungirehe raised during the interview was the presence of the Forces Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda (FDLR), a rebel group comprising individuals responsible for the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. He expressed concern over the FDLR’s integration into the Congolese army, warning that the group continues to spread genocidal ideology in the region.

“The FDLR génocidaires are not only integrated into the Congolese army, but they are also disseminating genocide ideology within the FARDC and across the region,” Nduhungirehe told RBA, calling on the DRC to neutralize the group in good faith.

The minister concluded by reiterating Rwanda’s commitment to supporting efforts for peace, provided that the DRC shows the political will to address the conflict’s underlying causes and act in good faith.

Nduhungirehe’s comments come amid ongoing efforts to resolve the long-standing conflict in eastern DRC, where foreign interventions have often complicated the path to peace. The Luanda Process continues to serve as a vital platform for regional diplomacy and conflict resolution in the Great Lakes region.