French President Emmanuel Macron has questioned the effectiveness of sanctions imposed on Rwanda, including measures announced by the United States, saying they are unlikely to bring lasting solutions to insecurity in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Speaking in an interview with France 24 and RFI on the sidelines of the Africa Forward Summit 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya, Macron said isolating Rwanda risks undermining cooperation efforts aimed at restoring peace and stability in the region.
He instead called for direct dialogue between President Paul Kagame of Rwanda and President Félix Tshisekedi of the DRC, alongside renewed and coordinated diplomatic mediation efforts.
“There is a need for respectful dialogue between President Paul Kagame and President Félix Tshisekedi, and for all mediation efforts to be brought back together at the negotiating table. This is the approach I support, and it is what France will work toward,” Macron said.
He noted that previous peace agreements, including those supported by the United States, had not yet produced the expected results despite being signed.
Macron added that sanctions alone do not provide a sustainable solution, stressing the need for broader diplomatic engagement involving regional actors such as Uganda, Burundi, and other stakeholders in the Great Lakes region to address both security concerns and underlying economic interests in eastern DRC.
The United States earlier imposed sanctions on several senior Rwandan military officials, a move that has continued to fuel diplomatic debate over strategies to address insecurity in the region.
