President Paul Kagame has accused international actors, including the United States, of applying pressure on Rwanda while failing to confront the deeper causes of the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Speaking at the RPF Political Bureau meeting, Kagame said Rwanda repeatedly warned its partners about the presence of the FDLR, the movement of Congolese and Burundian troops and the risk of renewed fighting around Goma.
“We warned you about this war two months before signing the agreement,” Kagame said, questioning why Rwanda was later blamed for the escalation.
He said Kigali initially welcomed the US-backed initiative because it promised to address Congo’s internal political crisis, Rwanda’s security concerns and regional economic cooperation. However, he argued that the process later became focused on eliminating M23 while leaving the FDLR largely untouched.
“It has become finishing M23, not FDLR,” he said.
Kagame rejected claims that Rwanda created the crisis, insisting that the conflict originated inside Congo and that Kigali became involved only because armed groups operating from Congolese territory threatened Rwanda.
“This has not been our war. We didn’t cause it, and it did not originate from here,” he said.
He was also sharply critical of sanctions, describing them as a substitute for serious engagement.
“If you raise an argument, they say, ‘I’m going to sanction you.’ That is the argument,” Kagame said.
The President also raised concerns over reported killings in Minembwe, saying Rwanda’s warnings about civilians being targeted were dismissed as none of its business.
“But if it is not my concern, maybe it should be yours. So why are you not concerned?” he asked.
Kagame concluded that Rwanda would not remain silent when its security or the lives of vulnerable communities were threatened.
“I only shut up when I’m dead,” he said.
