Rwanda has condemned recent U.S. sanctions targeting its Minister of State for Regional Integration, General (Rtd) James Kabarebe, calling the move unjustified and ineffective in resolving the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Kabarebe was sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), alongside M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kingston, over alleged support for M23 rebels and accusations of human rights abuses in eastern DRC.
In response, Rwanda’s Government Spokesperson, Yolande Makolo, criticized the sanctions, stating that if economic measures were the solution, peace would have been achieved in the region long ago.
“If sanctions could resolve the conflict in eastern DRC, we would have had peace in the region decades ago,” Makolo said.
Makolo called on the international community to support, rather than undermine, regional efforts for a political solution to the crisis.
She emphasized that Rwanda remains committed to finding a peaceful resolution, highlighting the importance of diplomatic initiatives such as the Luanda Process, despite its current stalemate.
The sanctions target individuals accused of enabling destabilizing activities in the DRC, including Kabarebe, who has been linked to supporting the M23 rebel group.
Acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Bradley T. Smith, stated, “Today’s action underscores our intent to hold accountable key officials and leaders like Kabarebe and Kingston, who are enabling the RDF and M23’s destabilizing activities in the eastern DRC.”
Smith reiterated the U.S. commitment to ensuring a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
Rwanda has long advocated for the neutralization of the FDLR (Forces Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda), a militia group operating in the eastern DRC.
The group, which consists of individuals involved in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, continues to pose a significant threat to Rwanda’s security.
Makolo expressed concerns that, instead of addressing this threat, the government of the DRC has been supporting the FDLR.
“They are stronger now than they have ever been, and they are a greater danger to us than they have ever been,” Makolo stated.
Despite setbacks to the Luanda Process, regional leaders recently convened at a joint summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and East African Community (EAC) heads of state.
The summit reaffirmed the need for a peaceful, political solution to the crisis, stressing the importance of dialogue and cooperation to end the over 30-year-long conflict in DRC.
Makolo reiterated that sanctions are not the answer and called for greater international support for regional diplomatic efforts.
“The sanctions are unjustified,” she said, emphasizing Rwanda’s belief in peace through dialogue and negotiation.
