Rwanda’s Foreign Affairs Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe has criticized Burundi’s Foreign Affairs Minister Édouard Bizimana after Bizimana described the FDLR as a “pretext” Rwanda uses to justify its continued involvement in the security crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Bizimana made the remarks during a discussion aired on Public Sénat, which brought together several analysts, including Nicolas Normand, a former French ambassador to Mali, the Republic of Congo and Senegal.
In a social media post on September 13, Nduhungirehe said Bizimana’s remarks were inconsistent with his position as chair of the African Union (AU) Executive Council.
Nduhungirehe said the AU has repeatedly condemned the FDLR, which Rwanda identifies as an armed group that includes individuals responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. He said the continental body has called for the group to disarm and for its members to return to their country of origin.
The Rwandan minister also referred to the Washington agreements signed on August 27, 2026, and an earlier agreement signed by heads of state on December 4, 2025, both aimed at restoring peace and stability in the region.
According to Nduhungirehe, the DRC committed under these agreements to dismantling the FDLR.
He questioned why Bizimana, whose country did not sign the agreements, would describe the FDLR as a “pretext.”
Nduhungirehe said: “It is troubling to see the Chairperson of the African Union, whose country’s forces cooperate with the FDLR in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, continue to deny the existence of a genocidal group that has repeatedly been condemned by the very organization he leads.”
The remarks come amid strained relations between Rwanda and Burundi over the conflict in eastern DRC. The two countries have traded accusations over military involvement and links to armed groups operating in the region.
Rwanda has repeatedly cited the presence of the FDLR as a security threat, while the government in Kinshasa and its allies have accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 armed group. Rwanda has denied supporting M23.
Nduhungirehe concluded by calling on the AU to exercise greater caution when selecting officials for senior positions within the continental organization.
