In recent weeks, countries such as Canada, Belgium, and Germany have imposed sanctions on Rwanda, accusing it of supporting the M23 rebel group and fueling insecurity in eastern DRC. Rwanda refutes the claims, and instead blame DRC for collaboration with FDLR terrorist group to threaten the country's security. These countries claim that Rwanda is exploiting the conflict for access to the DRC's mineral wealth.
In a message shared on Monday, March 10, 2025, Amb. Rwamucyo pointed out that despite its vast natural resources, the DRC remains one of the poorest countries in the world.
"DR Congo is a development paradox. Although it boasts being endowed with vast natural resources, it is the poorest nation on earth. The UN Human Development Index [HDI] ranks DRC 180th out of the 193 countries listed," he posted on X.
Amb. Rwamucyo argued that the real beneficiaries of the DRC's mineral wealth are foreign interests and corrupt Congolese officials.
'Talk of who exploits DRC's mineral wealth: The corrupt GoDRC and powerful political elites have for decades mortgaged the country's mineral resources to any powerful exploiter who will line their pockets. Perpetuating the narrative that illegal exploitation of mineral resources is the root cause of conflict in DRC is cynical, hypocritical and disingenuous. The painful fact is that this narrative is perpetuated by corrupt DRC officials and the very culprit exploiters,' he stated.
He emphasized that blaming Rwanda for the DRC's problems is a distraction from the real issueâ€"endemic corruption and bad governance.
According to him, Rwanda's main security concern is the DRC's preservation and support to the genocidal FDLR which is responsible for the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi and is a security threat to Rwanda; and the ethnic cleansing and persecution of Congolese Tutsi.
Amb. Rwamucyo also highlighted that major western european actors deliberately perpetuate the narrative of illegal exploitation of mineral resources to cover-up their brute and greedy decades of exploitation of DRC.
'Kamituga is a large gold mining town. Gold was first discovered in the 1920s. These are the cheapest to mine high quality alluvial gold deposits in Lualaba, Mobale, Kahushimira, Kamakundu, and Idoka rivers. Belgium Company Miniere des Grands Lacs Africain (MGL) - Greatlakes Mining Company owned and started commercial mining of Gold in Kamituga in the 1930s until 1997,' he explained.
'That is 67 years of plundering cheap high quality gold with no benefits to congolese citizens. In 1997, MGL sold the Gold mine concession to Banro, a Canadian company. Banro owns the mines to this day. Belgians still maintain a key stake,' added Amb. Rwamucyo.
Despite its mineral wealth, Kamituga remains underdeveloped, with its residents living in extreme poverty and lacking basic infrastructure such as roads.
Amb. Rwamucyo argued that Western nations do not support the DRC out of goodwill, democracy, or human rights concerns but rather to protect their economic interests in the region.
"When Belgium and Canada and their neo-colonial european allies, who are at the historical root of this conflict, side with DRC, ganging against Rwanda and refuse to condemn DRC's ethnic cleansing and persecution of Congolese; they are consumed by protection of brute and greedy national mining and economic interests in places like desolate and sleepy Kamituga and the rest of DRC. It is an action aimed at appeasing desperate DRC elites. This is not about values of good governance, democracy or human rights. It is about protecting greed and brutal national interests," he said.
Amb. Rwamucyo's remarks come just days after President Paul Kagame reiterated that Rwanda's primary concern is its own security, not the mineral wealth of the DRC, as some have falsely claimed.
IGIHE
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/amb-rwamucyo-criticizes-the-west-s-hypocrisy-on-drc-crisis
