DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi’s address at the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels has drawn scrutiny after several of his statements about regional peace and relations with neighboring countries were found to contradict facts on the ground.
In his speech, President Tshisekedi said that since taking office in 2019, he has visited all nine neighboring countries, including Rwanda and Uganda, to promote regional cooperation and the well-being of their peoples.
However, despite more than ten peace agreements signed since 1999, none have been fully implemented. Observers say this is largely due to Kinshasa’s lack of political will and its continued preference for a military solution to internal conflicts.
Tshisekedi’s government has been accused of fueling ethnic tensions within the DRC through hate speech and persecution of certain Congolese communities, often blaming Rwanda for internal instability.
This has included the spread of anti-Tutsi and anti-Rwanda sentiment in schools, arbitrary arrests of Rwandan citizens in Kinshasa, and a wave of state-sponsored propaganda linking Rwanda to every crisis in the DRC.
The Congolese leader also claimed that he has “never displayed a belligerent attitude” toward Rwanda or any of his neighbors. Yet, his public record tells a different story. Tshisekedi has repeatedly used inflammatory language against Rwanda — at one point calling President Paul Kagame “Hitler,” threatening to bomb Kigali, and pledging to “liberate” the Rwandan people.
He has also called for international sanctions against Rwanda and accused it of supporting the M23 rebel group, allegations Kigali has consistently rejected.
Since 2019, Rwanda has reported more than 20 cross-border attacks and multiple airspace violations by the Congolese army and allied militias. In January 2025, Congolese shelling in Rubavu District killed 16 Rwandan civilians.
Tshisekedi told the Brussels audience that both he and President Kagame are “the only two capable of stopping this escalation.” But regional diplomats say peace remains within the DRC’s control.
Kigali has repeatedly urged Kinshasa to address the root causes of conflict through dialogue — particularly the continued presence of the FDLR, a genocidal militia fighting alongside the Congolese army.
The DRC has ignored several regional frameworks designed to restore peace, including those brokered by the East African Community (EAC), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the African Union (AU).
Kinshasa has also blocked implementation of the Washington Peace Agreement, which requires dismantling the FDLR and engaging in direct talks with Congolese rebel movements.
Tshisekedi accused Rwanda of boycotting a planned peace ceremony in Luanda mediated by Angolan President João Lourenço. Kigali clarified that it declined to attend because the DRC had refused to honor its commitment to negotiate with internal rebel groups — a condition central to the peace process.
The DRC leader also praised South Africa, Tanzania, and Malawi for sending troops under SADC to support Kinshasa’s military campaign. Those troops, along with hundreds of foreign mercenaries hired by the DRC, suffered casualties and were later granted safe passage through Rwanda after the fall of Goma earlier this year.
In his closing remarks, Tshisekedi called for “true peace and development” in the Great Lakes region. However, his government’s actions — including inflammatory rhetoric, violations of peace agreements, and ongoing military aggression — suggest otherwise.
Analysts say that achieving stability will require Kinshasa to shift from blame and confrontation to genuine political dialogue. “The path to peace is clear,” one regional diplomat noted. “It lies in ending hate campaigns, dismantling the FDLR, and implementing the agreements that have already been signed.”
Despite the conciliatory tone of Tshisekedi’s speech in Brussels, the facts indicate a widening gap between his words and the reality on the ground — a pattern that continues to undermine hopes for lasting peace in the Great Lakes region.
