For several years, the two nations have had a strained relationship, with Burundi accusing Rwanda of harboring individuals who attempted to overthrow the Burundian government in 2015.
At other times, Burundi has claimed that Rwanda supports the RED Tabara rebel group, although Rwanda has consistently denied these accusations.
On various occasions, President Ndayishimiye and other Burundian leaders have stated in international media that they possess information suggesting that Rwanda is planning an attack on Burundi. Since early 2024, Burundi has closed all its land borders with Rwanda.
Rwanda has also rejected these allegations. The country argues that Burundi, which shares a southern border with Rwanda, chose to collaborate with the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has links to the FDLR, thus aligning itself with the FDLR.
On the other hand, as the city of Uvira remains under the control of the AFC/M23, relations between Rwanda and Burundi have deteriorated further, with Burundi accusing Rwanda of shelling its territory.
In an interview with France 24 on December 18, 2025, Minister Nduhungirehe stated that the accusations from Burundi were false, adding that it was Burundi, not Rwanda, that had shelled the DRC territory.
'That's false. It was actually shells from Burundi that hit the city of Kamanyola in Congo, causing refugees which triggered movements of refugees to Rwanda, in Bugarama."
When asked whether there have been any discussions between Rwanda and Burundi, Minister Nduhungirehe confirmed that security officials from both countries met over the weekend to discuss the ongoing tensions.
'Regarding Burundi, a meeting was held this weekend between the security services of both states to discuss de-escalation. And we believe that if these meetings continue, we will reach an agreement on a way forward for regional de-escalation and the reactivation of peace agreements," he stated.
Regarding the DRC, talks between both countries are framed within the context of the Washington agreements, where the joint security coordination mechanism will oversee efforts to dismantle the FDLR terrorist group and remove the security measures Rwanda has imposed.
So far, a peace agreement was signed on December 4, 2025, but the DRC continues to stick to military action that continues to hinder the implementation.
The FDLR, composed of an estimated 7,000 to 10,000 fighters, collaborated with FARDC and over 20,000 Burundian soldiers during the fighting against M23.
Minister Nduhungirehe also noted that the joint security meetings will resume to focus on the dismantling of the FDLR group and the removal of Rwanda's security measures.
IGIHE
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/rwanda-burundi-discuss-de-escalation-of-tensions
