The Head of State made the remarks during the 20th edition of Umushyikirano, Rwanda's National Dialogue Council.
'The UN is everybody, but at the same time it is nobody. The international community is all of us, but actually it is none of us when it comes to some of these problems,' Kagame said, arguing that the lack of clear accountability often leaves Rwanda unfairly blamed for issues it did not create.
Kagame highlighted the persistent threat posed by the FDLR militia, formed by remnants of the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. He noted that while some claim that the fighters are ageing, the ideology is passed down through generations, creating a continuous security risk.
'I meet ambassadors and ministers who ask how many Interahamwe or FDLR are in Congo. [...] If you say they are 90 years old, it means they are there. But when children are trained, taught this ideology, and become fighters, how does being 90 years old make the problem irrelevant?' he said.
'The easiest answer for me sometimes is: why don't you ask the UN forces you put there?' he added.
He also cited the ongoing hate speech from Congolese leaders that perpetuates genocide ideology.
'Even if you think there are few who give such a speech, there are millions who are listening, and among them, they are recruited into that and they become part of the threat that Rwanda faces,' Kagame said.
The President expressed frustration with global actors who, he said, simultaneously create problems that worsen regional tensions. He suggested that this approach has emboldened some leaders, including DRC President Félix Tshisekedi, to continue aggressive rhetoric and policies against Rwanda.
'You can't create problems for me, blame me for them, and then start threatening me. It's a daily thing,' he said.
Addressing accusations about the alleged presence of Rwandan forces in the Congo, Kagame dismissed claims that the country is motivated by minerals, saying its posture along the DRC border is purely defensive.
'If we were in Congo for minerals, we would be a hundred times richer than we are now... the threats coming from Congo to do with our security have materialised several times. You just don't want to see it, you don't want to hear it,' he said.
He urged the international community to hold the responsible parties accountable rather than placing the burden on Rwanda.
'Congo must own their responsibilities and must not transfer their responsibilities to others who are not responsible for Congo,' Kagame said, stressing that Rwanda's defensive measures are aimed at protecting its people, not pursuing aggression.
The President concluded by emphasising that solutions exist if the root causes of regional instability are addressed.
'If you address the root causes and simply put responsibility where it belongs and accountability, I think this problem can be resolved,' he said.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
