Rwanda has accused the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) of pushing a regime change agenda in Kigali, using both military provocations and diplomatic platforms to undermine its sovereignty.
The accusation was made public in a communique following a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Dr. Edouard Ngirente, where the government announced Rwanda’s official withdrawal from the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS).
The Rwandan government cited repeated threats by President Félix Tshisekedi to overthrow Rwanda’s leadership and condemned what it described as deliberate cross-border attacks by the Congolese army and the FDLR militia.
Kigali argues these actions represent a clear breach of Article 3 of the ECCAS Treaty, which commits member states to good-neighbourliness and mutual respect.
Rwanda further claimed that the DRC has used its leadership role within ECCAS to shield itself from scrutiny, while actively supporting destabilizing elements in the region.
The cabinet stated that during the DRC’s chairmanship of ECCAS (February 2023 to February 2024), Kinshasa colluded with other members to unjustly isolate Rwanda, violating the bloc’s own rules and ignoring Rwanda’s formal protests.
The communique also blamed the DRC for initiating the current conflict in eastern Congo by attacking its own citizens in late 2021.
According to Kigali, Kinshasa has allowed eastern DRC to become a haven for over 200 illegal armed groups, including the FDLR—a group linked to the perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Rwanda said DRC’s support for the FDLR directly violates more than 20 UN Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 2773.
“Colluding with a UN-sanctioned genocidal militia while invoking international law is contradictory and unacceptable,” the government said.
Rwanda dismissed claims that its recent actions were provocations, insisting they are responses to sustained aggression from the DRC.
It urged Kinshasa to stop blaming external actors and instead address its deep-rooted governance and security failures.
While reiterating its commitment to regional peace, Rwanda stated it will only participate in genuine mediation processes, including those led by the African Union, the United States, and Qatar.
The cabinet concluded that Rwanda’s continued participation in ECCAS had become untenable and that its withdrawal was necessary to protect national interests in the face of ongoing manipulation and hostility by fellow member states.