Did the European Union and France indirectly fund the invasion of Eastern DRC? This question is increasingly being raised as troubling connections emerge between Western support for Rwandan military operations in Mozambique and the ongoing war waged by the M23 and the Rwanda Defence Forces (RDF) in the DRC.
Before their deployment in Eastern Congo, Generals Eugène Nkubito and Pascal Muhizi, who are now sanctioned by the EU for their role in the conflict, led the RDF forces in Cabo Delgado, northern Mozambique. These operations, officially aimed at combating Islamist terrorist groups, were heavily financed by the European Union and France, through training programs and military aid provided to Rwandan forces.
The direct involvement of these same Rwandan generals in atrocities committed in the DRC raises serious questions about the use of these Western funds. Did part of the resources allocated for Mozambique end up financing, training, and arming the RDF and M23 forces that later invaded Eastern Congo? The fact that the same Rwandan units that protected French investments in Mozambique are now implicated in human rights violations in the DRC places France in an uncomfortable position.
This apparent contradiction could explain France’s reluctance to support EU sanctions against Kigali. While Belgium led the charge within the EU to impose sanctions on Rwanda, France remained cautious. In February 2025, Paris was behind UN Security Council Resolution 2773, which officially condemned Rwanda and the M23 but did not call for any sanctions. This stance contrasts sharply with the decisions made by other Western countries, which have imposed economic and diplomatic sanctions on Kagame’s regime.
Despite mounting evidence of Rwanda’s direct involvement in destabilizing the DRC, France has yet to take any concrete action against Kigali. This inaction raises serious concerns about potential indirect complicity or, at the very least, a conflict of diplomatic and economic interests.
While the EU has now sanctioned several senior Rwandan officials and M23 leaders, including Nkubito and Muhizi, France’s position remains a mystery. This lack of action from Paris has led to growing frustration both in the DRC and among certain EU partners, who believe France is deliberately shielding a regime accused of war crimes in Eastern Congo.
Therwandan
