On January 29, 2025, Dr. Theogene Rudasingwa, former Rwandan Ambassador to the United States and former Chief of Staff to Paul Kagame, addressed an open letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marc Rubio, denouncing the role of the Rwandan regime in the ongoing crisis ravaging the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). According to him, the capture of Goma by the M23 forces, backed by Rwanda, is yet another demonstration of Kagame’s military and political strategy, built on destabilization, resource exploitation, and disregard for human rights.
Thirteen years after M23’s occupation of Goma in November 2012, history repeats itself. At the time, international pressure forced Kagame to order the withdrawal of his troops. Today, he is repeating the same tactic, using M23 as a front to conceal his direct involvement. Successive reports from the UN Group of Experts have already exposed Kigali’s financing and arming of these militias to strengthen its grip on eastern DRC. This region is rich in mineral resources, including coltan, gold, and diamonds, which the Rwandan regime loots by maintaining a permanent climate of war.
The humanitarian consequences of this occupation are devastating. Millions of Congolese have already lost their lives due to recurring wars and the involvement of foreign forces in the illegal exploitation of resources. Despite efforts by the United Nations through MONUSCO and other regional initiatives such as the East African Community Force (EACRF) and the Southern African Development Community Mission (SAMIDRC), Kagame continues his military expansion. His ambition will not stop in Goma. As in 1998 and 2012, his objective is to push the offensive further towards Bukavu, Kisangani, and potentially even Kinshasa, with the hope of influencing a regime change in the DRC.
Several factors are fueling this escalation. First, Kagame perceives the military and economic cooperation between Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni as a strategic threat. The strained relations between Museveni and Kagame have fueled border rivalries for years, making regional stability fragile. Second, the weakness of the international response gives him room to maneuver. The inefficiency of peacekeeping missions and the reluctance of Western powers to take strong measures reinforce his sense of impunity.
On January 16, 2025, Paul Kagame summoned the diplomatic corps to Kigali for a fiery speech, where he directly attacked the international community and President Tshisekedi. Behind these belligerent declarations lies a clear attempt at intimidation and deterrence of any diplomatic action against his regime. Far from being a mere outburst, this stance reflects a well-established strategy: sowing discord among African states while taking advantage of the lack of coordination among Western powers.
The United States, a historical ally of Rwanda since 1994, bears responsibility for this situation. The financial and military aid it has provided to Kigali has allowed Kagame to maintain his repressive apparatus and fund proxy wars. However, the current reality calls for an urgent revision of this policy. Dr. Rudasingwa calls on Washington to end its unconditional support and impose targeted sanctions against Kagame’s inner circle involved in financing M23 and the illegal exploitation of Congolese resources. He also advocates for the suspension of military aid until Kigali withdraws its troops from the DRC and ceases its support for armed groups.
The time has come for the international community to act decisively. Allowing Kagame to continue his aggression against the DRC will only further destabilize the Great Lakes region and prolong the suffering of civilian populations. Beyond geopolitical considerations, it is the moral responsibility of Western powers and African institutions to put an end to this silent war waged under a veil of denial. Paul Kagame has executed similar power plays before, but this time, he must be stopped before the Congolese tragedy deepens even further.
Therwandan
