Speaking at the EAC-SADC joint summit held in Tanzania on Feb 8, 2025, Kagame stressed the need for a lasting solution, pointing out that Rwanda's concerns have been dismissed.
'We can't go on forever massaging problems. What is happening there is an ethnic war that has been brewing for a long time, denying people's rights and then attacking Rwanda,' Kagame stated.
He made it clear that Rwanda cannot be expected to remain silent while facing security threats emanating from DRC.
Kagame criticized the approach taken by DRC's leadership, stating that despite numerous engagements, Kigali's concerns have not been addressed.
'We have been begging DRC and its leaders for a long time, we have shared our issues and asked DRC to address them, and they have refused,' he said.
Kagame argued that the crisis is not of Rwanda's making but has instead been imposed on the country, with DRC shifting responsibility.
The joint EAC-SADC summit, that was preceded by a ministerial meeting, sought to assess the deteriorating security situation in eastern DRC.
'This war was started by DRC and not anything from Rwanda. It was just brought and put on our shoulders and we were told to own it. We can't own it. There is no question about it,' he said.
Kagame urged the participants to take the matter seriously and ensure that the meeting leads to actionable solutions rather than becoming another in a series of unproductive discussions.
The summit follows recent escalations, including the capture of Goma by the M23 rebel group. M23 resumed fighting in 2021, citing the protection of Rwandophones and Congolese Tutsi communities.
President Tshisekedi, despite earlier confirmations, did not travel to Tanzania and instead attended the summit virtually.
Tshisekedi has repeatedly been urged to engage in dialogue through various processes but has remained reluctant to negotiate with M23, despite his army suffering continuous setbacks.
The Congolese government has also accused Rwanda of backing the rebels, an allegation Kigali strongly denies.
Instead, Rwanda has accused the DRC of working with the FDLR, a militia composed of individuals responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Reports suggest indicate that Burundian and SADC forces have joined the coalition supporting the Congolese army, even as Kinshasa has issued threats to invade Rwanda.
The summit also comes at a time when SADC countries, particularly South Africa, are facing scrutiny over their controversial involvement in the DRC conflict, with their troops suffering casualties during offensives against M23.
The EAC-SADC Joint Summit, called for a peaceful resolution to the DRC conflict and directed the merger of the Luanda and Nairobi processes.
To strengthen the merged process, the summit emphasized appointing additional facilitators from across Africa. It also urged the resumption of direct negotiations with all state and non-state actors, including M23, under this framework.
Additionally, the summit called for the implementation of the Concept of Operations (CONOPS) of the harmonized plan for neutralization of FDLR as agreed in the Luanda process.
Théophile Niyitegeka
