Mr Olivier J.P. Nduhungirehe, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Rwanda, has issued a strong warning that Kigali will withdraw its troops from northern Mozambique if long-term funding for counter-terrorism operations is not secured.
The statement, delivered in response to a report by Reuters, clarifies that Rwanda’s continued military presence in insurgency-hit Cabo Delgado is conditional on sustainable financial and political support.
“Rwanda WILL withdraw,” Nduhungirehe stressed, rejecting suggestions that Kigali’s position was merely hypothetical.
Rwandan troops, deployed under the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), have played a decisive role in stabilizing key towns in Cabo Delgado since 2021, helping to push back Islamist insurgents and restore government control in strategic areas.
According to Kigali, the intervention has enabled internally displaced persons to return home, children to resume schooling, businesses to reopen, and major economic projects, including multibillion-dollar liquefied natural gas (LNG) investments, to restart.
Rwanda says the operation has cost hundreds of millions of dollars and the lives of its soldiers.
“We didn’t pay hundreds of millions of dollars and our RDF soldiers didn’t pay the ultimate sacrifice… just to be constantly questioned, vilified, criticised, blamed or sanctioned by the very countries that benefit,” the minister said.
Bloomberg reported on Thursday that the European Union’s support for the effort is due to expire in May with no plans for renewal.
Earlier this month, the U.S. imposed sanctions on Rwanda’s army and top military officials over their alleged role in ongoing fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Kigali has long rejected these allegations from Congo, the United Nations and Western powers that it supports the AFC/M23 rebel group in the DRC.
Kigali’s statement also reflects growing frustration with international scrutiny of its role in Mozambique and broader regional tensions.
Rwanda argues that countries benefiting from improved security, particularly those with commercial interests in Cabo Delgado’s energy sector, have not provided sufficient support for the mission while continuing to criticize Kigali’s policies elsewhere.
Nduhungirehe said Rwanda is “ready to leave” if its achievements are not recognized or backed by concrete assistance.
