Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame on Friday expressed uncertainty over the viability of a U.S.-brokered peace deal with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), warning that Rwanda would respond firmly to any provocation from its neighbor.
Speaking at a press conference in Kigali, Kagame said Rwanda remains committed to the terms of the agreement, which was signed last week and requires the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from eastern Congo within 90 days. However, he cautioned that the deal could collapse if Congo fails to act on its pledge to dismantle the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a Hutu rebel group with links to the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
“If the side that we are working with plays tricks and takes us back to the problem, then we deal with the problem like we have been dealing with it,” Kagame warned.
The peace deal was mediated by the Trump administration, which is also offering the prospect of a regional investment pact to support supply chains for key minerals like tantalum, copper, and gold. Kagame thanked the U.S. for its role but emphasized that any failure would rest with the parties on the ground. “If it doesn’t work, they aren’t the ones to blame,” he said.
Rwanda has consistently denied accusations from the United Nations and Congo that it supports the M23 rebels, who earlier this year seized Goma and Bukavu, eastern Congo’s largest cities. Kigali maintains its troops are acting in self-defense against threats posed by the FDLR and Congo’s military.
Congo, which has repeatedly accused Rwanda of aggression, has not yet issued a response to Kagame’s remarks.
Kagame also addressed recent rumors about his health following a nearly three-week public absence. He appeared in good form during the press briefing and dismissed speculation, largely spread by Rwandan dissidents abroad, as baseless. “What would people want me to account for? That I am not human?” he quipped.
Meanwhile, both the Congolese government and the M23 rebels have announced plans to resume parallel peace talks in Qatar, aiming to build on the momentum of the recent U.S.-backed agreement.
Written By Rodney Mbua
