RDRC Chairperson Valerie Nyirahabineza shared these details on October 30, 2025, during a ceremony marking the discharge of the 75th cohort, which included 143 individuals from armed groups.
'I am pleased to inform you that, since 2001, 12,602 former combatants have been reintegrated. This program has provided thousands of former fighters and their families with tangible assistance, including civic education, vocational training, and support to enhance livelihoods and economic opportunities,' she stated.
Nyirahabineza called on Rwandans still in the forests of the DRC to lay down their arms, emphasizing that being used as foreign mercenaries to destabilize their own country would lead to nothing positive.
'We urge all Rwandans involved in the FDLR and its affiliated groups to lay down their arms and return home. As the RDRC, we are ready to welcome them and assist in their reintegration into society,' she stated.
A peace agreement signed between Rwanda and the DRC in June 2025 calls for the elimination of the FDLR, with its combatants to be repatriated and reintegrated into society.
In line with these agreements, on October 10, the DRC military urged FDLR combatants to surrender their weapons to either the DRC authorities or United Nations peacekeepers, warning that those who resist will face military action.
Nyirahabineza emphasized that Rwanda is prepared to receive any FDLR combatants wishing to return, offering them the same support provided to those who have come before them.
"Rwanda is ready to welcome new combatants who are being repatriated from the DRC, including those from FDLR, as called for in the latest statement from the DRC government,' she said.
Minister of Local Government, Dominique Habimana, urged Rwandans to refrain from engaging in actions that could destabilize their motherland and commended those who had chosen to lay down their arms.
'We ask that you demonstrate how the training you received here has transformed your mindset and behavior. Always focus on safeguarding our country's security, and collaborate with fellow Rwandans to prevent any threats to that security,' he emphasized.
Minister Habimana also encouraged these individuals to leave behind the time spent in the forests of the DRC and embark on a new journey of self-improvement. He reminded them that unity and solidarity among Rwandans are the foundations of all that has been achieved.
He urged them to steer clear of actions that could lead them back to the negative paths they once followed.
'Let us remember that unity and solidarity as Rwandans are the pillars of all our gains. Betraying that unity is forbidden. Therefore, I ask you to avoid anything that could lead you back to the evils of the past and instead join other Rwandans in fighting against genocide ideology and contributing to building our national unity,' he said.
Among the reintegrated former combatants, some have returned with their families. The training program lasted between three to six months.
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