Rwanda’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday the UK’s decision to take punitive measures against Kigali such as aid cuts in response to its alleged role in the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was regrettable.
It came after the UK government said it would “cease high-level attendance at events hosted by the government of Rwanda”, limit trade promotion activity with Rwanda and “pause direct bilateral financial aid to the government of Rwanda” in response to its alleged role in the conflict in eastern DRC.
The UK also said it would “coordinate with partners on potential new sanctions designations”, suspend future defence training assistance to the African country and “review export licences for the Rwanda Defence Force”.
It added that “the recent offensives” by DRC’s M23 rebel movement “and the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), including the capture of Goma and Bukavu” cities in January and February “are an unacceptable violation of DRC’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a breach of the UN Charter”.
Rwanda’s foreign ministry said the measures announced by the UK government “do nothing to help the Democratic Republic of Congo nor do they contribute to achieving a sustainable political solution to the conflict in eastern DRC”.
It said it was “unreasonable to expect Rwanda to compromise its national security and the safety of Rwandans”.
“Rwanda will continue to insist on security guarantees, which the DRC and the international community have so far been unwilling or unable to provide. This perpetual situation of instability seems to benefit, directly or indirectly, a number of those associated with the conflict,” it added.
The security situation in eastern DRC has deteriorated since the start of 2025 after the M23, a Tutsi-led group allegedly backed by Rwanda, launched a major offensive to capture key cities such as Goma and Bukavu.
The violence has led to a deterioration of the humanitarian situation and prompted warnings of a wider regional conflict.
Rwanda does not out rightly confirm or deny it supports the M23, whose leaders have been sanctioned by the US and others, despite UN experts alleging it backs the group militarily.
The governments of DRC and Rwanda often accuse each other of supporting each other’s rebel groups.
Image via Rwanda’s foreign ministry on X.
