Minister Nduhungirehe made this clear on July 29, 2025, during a session of the Chamber of Deputies to ratify the recently signed peace agreement between Rwanda and the DRC.
MP Christine Mukabunani had asked whether Rwanda's participation in the peace deal might prompt countries that had sanctioned it to reconsider their decisions.
She posed the question: 'Given Rwanda's decision to sign this agreement, do you expect the countries that imposed sanctions to lift them now?'
In response, Minister Nduhungirehe clarified that the Rwanda-DRC agreement was never intended as a means to have sanctions lifted, and that Rwanda signed it solely out of its commitment to regional peace.
'The Washington Agreement was not aimed at removing sanctions,' he said. 'The countries that imposed those measures did so for their own reasons â€" reasons we have openly rejected. We made our position clear, including recently, because these sanctions have also prevented those countries, particularly in Europe and North America, from meaningfully contributing to the search for solutions.'
He noted that some countries that had imposed sanctions later attempted to participate in the peace process, but Rwanda dismissed their involvement.
'There were actors who tried to re-enter the conversation through manipulative channels under the guise of supporting this agreement. Yet these are the same countries that, as recently as January and February, were threatening further sanctions. They didn't speak about the region â€" they explicitly sided with Congo.'
Nduhungirehe emphasised that Rwanda's decision to sign the agreement had nothing to do with seeking favours from those nations.
'These agreements are not about pleading. We are not here to beg anyone. Let them do as they wish. We signed the agreement because we want peace in the region â€" not to convince European countries to lift sanctions.'
He added that the sanctions imposed on Rwanda had served as a lesson, encouraging the country to become more self-reliant and to guard against foreign aid being used as a form of pressure or coercion.
'These past months have taught us an important lesson. Rwanda must build its own resilience and avoid becoming dependent on aid that is weaponised for political purposes. Every cent we receive must be used for its intended development goals. If donors use funding to advance political agendas, we reject that â€" and even now, we are not pleading for sanctions to be lifted. They can make their own decisions, since they were the ones who imposed the sanctions in the first place.'
Several Western nations, including Belgium, imposed sanctions on Rwanda, accusing it of playing a role in the insecurity in Eastern DRC. In response, Rwanda severed diplomatic ties with Belgium, citing its bias and efforts to rally the international community to impose further punitive measures.
Rwanda has consistently stated that it will not be intimidated by foreign sanctions aimed at dictating its internal affairs, especially when its actions are rooted in preserving national security and the interests of its people.
During the parliamentary session on Tuesday, members of the Chamber of Deputies unanimously voted in favour of the agreement, which seeks to restore peace in the Great Lakes Region by addressing longstanding security issues.
IGIHE
