Responding to a journalist's question about the implications of the recently signed agreement if the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) are not eliminated, Kagame delivered a firm message: 'Rwanda will always do what it has to do when FDLR is along our border. There is no magic word here to be used by anybody.'
The agreement in question, reached in Washington, D.C., was signed between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on June 27, with the aim of addressing long-standing security concerns in the region.
A central provision of this deal is the elimination of the FDLR, a rebel group that has repeatedly launched attacks on Rwanda from Congolese territory and is known to have collaborated with the DRC government, particularly during its operations against the M23 rebel group.
President Kagame stressed that while the agreement was signed in Washington, its successful implementation lies solely in the hands of the two parties involved.
'We reached an agreement in Washington, D.C. But it is not up to Washington to implement it. It's those who reached the agreement to actually implement what they agreed.'
He went on to express Rwanda's commitment to fulfilling its part of the deal: 'You will never find Rwanda at fault with implementing what we have agreed to do. You will never.'
However, he issued a clear warning that if the other party acts dishonestly or fails to uphold their commitments, Rwanda will respond accordingly: 'But if we decide we are working with plays tricks and takes us back to the problem, then we deal with the problem like we have been dealing with it. There are no two ways about it.'
The President also placed the Rwanda-DRC conflict within a broader regional and internal political context.
He highlighted that in addition to the Washington deal, a parallel negotiation process is underway in Qatar, focusing on the DRC's internal conflict involving the M23 and issues related to political representation and citizenship.
'There is another deal ongoing that concerns internal groups of Congo. AFC/M23 and the government… that is being discussed and brokered by Qatar.' Kagame noted, recalling his meeting with President Tshisekedi in Doha and underlining that these negotiations are also critical to achieving lasting peace.
For Kagame, the failure to eliminate the FDLR would mean the persistence of the threat Rwanda has long faced.
'If FDR is not dealt with and we have set out the way to deal with it in the agreement, then that means FDLR continues to be there and the problem continues to be there,' he noted.
The Head of State also reiterated that Rwanda would not hesitate to take necessary actions to defend its borders and people.
'We have this obligation and we have laid our case. And out of that, we have agreed to do a number of things to deal with and do it together with others. And we will do that.'
Théophile Niyitegeka
