Speaking on Thursday during the inauguration of newly appointed officials at Parliament buildings, Kagame said the accusations often come from individuals seeking to pressure Rwanda and wrongly link it to the ongoing conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
'Rwanda signed the agreement willingly, accepted it, and will fulfil its obligations so that, if others also meet their responsibilities, it will lead us to peace,' he said.
He acknowledged that implementing such agreements is challenging, noting that 'the path is never easy. Some people do not speak the truth. There are things people wish for, sometimes not even included in the agreement, or they think should have been included. In an agreement, you don't get everything you want, but you get what is necessary, and others also get what is necessary.'
Allegations that Rwanda breached the Washington agreement stem from the recent advance of the AFC/M23 rebels to the city of Uvira. Some parties have accused Rwanda of supporting the group, claiming it violated the agreement, a claim Kigali has consistently refuted.
Kagame emphasised that Rwanda did not breach any agreements, pointing out that hostilities between the AFC/M23 rebels and Kinshasa coalition forces were already occurring when he travelled to the United States.
'When we went to America, fighting had already been ongoing for days and weeks, and even on the day we travelled, clashes continued in some areas,' he said.
He added that claims suggesting Rwanda's actions triggered the fighting are false. 'The situation already existed; it did not start after the agreements,' he reiterated.
He concluded by reiterating that many of the allegations against Rwanda are based on falsehoods and malice.
The inauguration ceremony also saw the swearing-in of Solange Uwituze as State Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Dr. Usta Kaitesi as State Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Charles Murigande as Senator, and two Court of Appeals judges, Dr. Ntete Jules Marius and Dr. Nshimiyimana Didace.
IGIHE
