A hopeful development took place on April 25, 2025, when Rwanda and the DRCâ€"facilitated by the United Statesâ€"signed a framework agreement aimed at restoring peace in the region.
This seemed to signal a potential end to the DRC's recurring pattern of blaming Rwanda for its internal problems, a narrative that had produced no real solutions or peace for the region.
Optimism grew further when the U.S. announced that both Rwanda and the DRC would sign a peace agreement in Washington D.C. in June 2025, an accord expected to spark renewed development cooperation among the three countries.
In the DRC's official communication channels, key officials like Minister Kayikwamba and Government Spokesperson Patrick Muyaya had noticeably toned down their rhetoric against Rwanda, particularly after both sides agreed in April to avoid any form of provocation.
However, after a long silence, Minister Kayikwamba recently resurfaced in an interview with Germany's Deutsche Welle, once again accusing Rwanda of destabilizing eastern DRC and of mistreating UN peacekeepers from MONUSCO.
'We have a very large peacekeeping mission, but one of our neighboring countries â€" namely Rwanda â€" is one of the biggest contributors to peacekeeping operations. At the same time, this country violates our territorial integrity and has also been linked to violence against peacekeepers,' she said.
When asked whether the DRC recognizes Rwanda's security concerns, Kayikwamba responded dismissively: 'Are the tens of thousands of people who have died Congolese or Rwandan? They are Congolese. Are the women who have been raped Congolese or Rwandan? They are Congolese,' she said.
The Rwandan government has consistently rejected these allegations, maintaining that the DRC is using Rwanda as a scapegoat to distract the international community from the root causes of its insecurityâ€"namely poor governance and persecution of Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese citizens.
While the DRC accuses Rwanda of breaching its sovereignty, Rwanda counters that the DRC harbors and supports the FDLR, a terrorist group committed to destabilizing Rwanda.
Rwanda has also reminded the world of statements by DRC President Félix Tshisekedi, in which he openly expressed a desire to overthrow the Rwandan government.
As a result, Rwanda has strengthened its border security. These measures enabled the country to defend itself against attacks launched by FARDC forces on January 27â€"as the M23/AFC coalition took control of Goma.
These attacks killed 16 civilians in Rwanda's Rubavu District, injured 161 others, and damaged 200 homes.
Rwanda's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ambassador Olivier Nduhungirehe, recently confirmed that both Rwanda and the DRC had submitted a preliminary peace agreement to the U.S., which is currently under review by experts.
He added that he and Minister Kayikwamba are scheduled to return to Washington D.C. in the third week of May 2025 to finalize the agreement before the official signing.
When asked whether she believes the U.S. can successfully mediate the conflict, given her accusations against Rwanda, Kayikwamba said the DRC agreed to attend the Washington D.C. talks because the Luanda Process had laid the groundwork for bilateral peace.
She explained that if the mediating partners are truly honest and impartial, and are willing to contribute to peace, then the DRC is ready to play its part.
However, she did not specify whether the DRC is committed to fulfilling its own obligations, such as dismantling the FDLR.
IGIHE
