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.
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