The government of Congo-Brazzaville has officially terminated a land lease agreement signed with Rwandan companies in 2022, citing the failure to commence agricultural activities within the agreed timeframe.
Government spokesperson Thierry Moungalla confirmed on Friday that the agreement, which had granted Rwandan firms access to over 11,000 hectares of farmland in the southern Bouenza region, had expired without any tangible action being taken by the companies involved. “The file is now closed,” Moungalla stated during a press briefing, referring to the December 8, 2024 deadline for project commencement.
The lease had originally been signed with Eleveco-Congo S.A.S., reportedly a local branch of Crystal Ventures, a commercial arm of Rwanda’s ruling RPF party. The land was to be used for farming and livestock purposes under a 20-year renewable contract. But with no implementation by the Rwandan side, Congo’s Minister of Land Affairs, Pierre Mabiala, informed the parties involved that the lease had been revoked.
“This was a provisional authorisation, granted on the condition that the companies take steps to begin work,” said Moungalla. “Since nothing happened by the deadline, Minister Mabiala, on behalf of the state, issued formal notice of termination.”
The Rwandan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olivier Nduhungirehe, declined to comment when contacted by BBC Gahuzamiryango.
On its website, the Rwandan Embassy in Brazzaville had previously described the deal as part of a “South-South cooperation” initiative and a gesture of goodwill between two developing nations. The embassy had also expressed Rwanda’s commitment to collaborate with Congo in advancing agriculture.
The deal had drawn controversy in Congo-Brazzaville and concern across the river in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), particularly over its proximity to the special economic zone of Maloukou, located just 70 kilometres north of Brazzaville along the Congo River. French broadcaster RFI reported that Crystal Ventures had also secured rights to land in Maloukou, a move that reportedly alarmed officials in Kinshasa.
While no direct link has been confirmed between DRC’s concerns and the cancellation of the land deal, regional tensions persist. Kinshasa has accused Kigali of backing the M23 rebel group active in eastern Congo, a claim supported by UN experts and several Western governments. Rwanda denies the allegations.
Despite the current episode, relations between Rwanda and Congo-Brazzaville have remained cordial. In July 2023, President Paul Kagame awarded his Congolese counterpart Denis Sassou-Nguesso the “Agaciro” medal during a visit to Kigali, commending his leadership and dedication to African progress.
The termination of the land agreement marks a rare setback in what has otherwise been a steady diplomatic relationship between the two countries. It also highlights the growing scrutiny surrounding Rwanda’s commercial and political reach in the region, particularly amid ongoing conflict and accusations of regional destabilisation.
Therwandan
