Rwanda: Sanctions Ignore Root Causes of DR Congo Crisis - Kagame

What the report says

Rwandan President Paul Kagame used a press conference on Monday, August 24, to denounce sanctions imposed on Rwanda over the conflict in eastern DR Congo, arguing that the measures add pressure without tackling the underlying causes of the crisis. The remarks were reported by The New Times and distributed by AllAfrica. Kagame said the situation has multiple actors and that focusing punishment on Rwanda does not resolve the broader conflict.

According to the report, the United States sanctioned the Rwanda Defence Force and four senior commanders on March 2, accusing them of supporting AFC/M23 and violating commitments under the Washington Accords signed in December 2025. Rwanda has rejected the sanctions as one-sided, saying they fail to hold the Congolese government to the same standard. Kagame also questioned why sanctions were not directed at the FDLR or those accused of supporting it, while saying Rwanda has raised concerns about the security threat it sees in eastern DR Congo.

Kagame argued that explanations for the crisis often overlook the roles of Congo, neighboring states and the international community, and he criticized what he described as narrow framing by the UN Group of Experts. He said Rwanda would continue to protect its security while remaining involved in peace efforts. The comments matter because implementation of the Washington Accords remains central to diplomacy aimed at ending the fighting in eastern DR Congo. The broader background, based on the report, is a long-running regional conflict with competing accounts of responsibility and security threats.