He made the disclosure on May 4, 2025, in an interview with the Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA).
Minister Nduhungirehe confirmed that diplomatic talks are ongoing and noted that whenever he meets his Burundian counterpart, both sides express a shared willingness to address their differences and strengthen bilateral relations.
"The problem we face is that, sometimes, the President of Burundi gives interviews to international media accusing Rwanda, and this jeopardizes the progress we are trying to make. It's not just Rwandansâ€"Burundians too want to see good relations between our two countries," he stated.
He specifically referred to recent interviews where President Ndayishimiye accused Rwanda of attempting to invade Burundiâ€"an allegation that Rwanda has repeatedly denied as baseless.
'These kinds of statements delay our efforts,' Nduhungirehe said, 'but they will not discourage us from continuing to pursue peace and a renewed relationship with Burundi.'
To move forward, Minister Nduhungirehe emphasized that Rwanda is ready to continue security cooperation with Burundi but stressed the need for reduced inflammatory statements.
'These accusations are not based on facts. When someone says that Rwanda is planning to invade Burundi, it's simply not trueâ€"and even Burundians know that. We hope these kinds of comments decrease, especially from the Burundian side, so that we can continue working together and restore relations in the right time.'
On March 10, 2025, intelligence delegations from both nations met in Burundi's Kirundo Province to address security issues, including the reopening of borders closed by Burundi in January 2024.
The closure followed Ndayishimiye's 2023 year-end speech, where he had suggested Rwanda supported the RED Tabara rebel groupâ€"a claim Rwanda rejects, noting the group's activities occur far from its border.
Despite the border closure, Ndayishimiye has continued to accuse Rwanda of destabilizing Burundi, allegations Rwanda refutes.
IGIHE
