Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Olivier Nduhungirehe, has strongly dismissed claims by officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) that the FDLR armed group no longer poses a security concern, describing the statements as false and inconsistent with previous regional commitments.
In a message posted on X, Nduhungirehe was responding to remarks by the DRC’s Minister of Communication and Government Spokesperson, Patrick Muyaya, who argued that the FDLR is not a threat to Rwanda but rather a “pretext” linked to Congo’s mineral resources.
Muyaya questioned how members of the group who fled Rwanda in 1994 could still constitute a security risk three decades later. He further suggested that repeated references to the FDLR serve as justification for broader geopolitical interests in eastern Congo.
However, Rwanda’s foreign minister said such assertions contradict positions previously taken by Congolese authorities within regional mediation frameworks.
Luanda commitments referenced
Nduhungirehe pointed to discussions held on March 21, 2024, under the Luanda peace process, recalling that then Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the DRC, Christophe Lutundula, had formally expressed commitment to a plan aimed at dismantling the FDLR.
According to Nduhungirehe, the final communiqué of that meeting clearly stipulated that the FDLR was to be neutralized, after which Rwanda would lift its defensive measures.
He said it was surprising to see Congolese officials later question the existence or relevance of the same group referenced in agreed frameworks.
“It is contradictory to sign agreements committing to dismantle the FDLR while at the same time claiming that the group does not exist,” Nduhungirehe noted.
Ongoing diplomatic tensions
The latest exchange underscores persistent diplomatic tensions between Kigali and Kinshasa over insecurity in eastern DRC. Rwanda has consistently raised concerns over the presence of the FDLR—an armed group composed of elements linked to the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi—and what it describes as its collaboration with Congolese armed forces.
Congolese authorities, on the other hand, have repeatedly rejected Rwanda’s accusations, framing them as politically motivated.
The public back-and-forth highlights the fragility of ongoing regional efforts to stabilize eastern DRC, even as mediation initiatives continue under regional and international auspices.
