Rwandan President Paul Kagame has strongly defended the continued presence of what he describes as Rwanda’s “defensive measures” along the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, amid escalating tensions between the two neighbors.
In an interview with Jeune Afrique, Kagame dismissed calls for Rwanda to withdraw its alleged troops and security apparatus from eastern Congo, arguing that such demands ignore the underlying security threats facing his country.
“We refuse to lift the defensive measures, whether it’s the troops or any other apparatus. What we call defensive measures. And according to your logic, why, when there is a threat against me, do you ask me to lift these measures without addressing that threat? What is the logic?” Kagame said.
The Rwandan leader further rejected accusations linking Kigali to the March 23 Movement, an armed group operating in eastern DRC that has been at the center of renewed conflict.
According to Kagame, the group—now referred to as AFC/M23—is not a proxy force of Rwanda but a Congolese movement with domestic roots. He also made a notable claim that the group is associated with former Congolese President Joseph Kabila.
The remarks come at a time of heightened regional and international concern over instability in eastern Congo, where clashes involving M23 rebels and Congolese forces have displaced thousands and strained diplomatic relations between Kigali and Kinshasa.
The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has repeatedly accused Rwanda of backing the M23 rebels—claims that Rwanda consistently denies—while regional mediators continue efforts to de-escalate the situation and restore stability in the Great Lakes region.
FULL INTERVIEW HERE
