By Kungu Al-mahadi Adam
The United States decision to impose sanctions on the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) and its senior commanders over alleged support for the March 23 Movement in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has stirred controversy and deepened mistrust between Kigali and Washington.
The sanctions accuse Rwanda’s military leadership of materially supporting an armed group that has seized significant territory and committed abuses in eastern DR Congo and demand an immediate withdrawal of Rwandan troops and equipment from the region.
The measures freeze assets and bar financial interactions with sanctioned officials and institutions in the United States, framing the action as necessary to uphold the Washington peace agreement signed in late 2025.
From Kigali’s perspective these sanctions are unjust and one-sided, misrepresenting the security dynamics in the region and ignoring the underlying threats that have shaped Rwandan policy for decades.
The Rwandan government has said it is fully prepared to disengage its forces in tandem with the DRC fulfilling its own obligations under peace accords, particularly ending support for extremist armed groups that target Rwandan civilians and refugees.
Kigali views the continued presence of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a militia formed by Hutu extremists responsible for the 1994 genocide, as an enduring existential threat to Rwanda’s national security.
The FDLR and its affiliates have been linked to chronic instability along the borders of Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi, obstructing humanitarian operations and contributing to violence that displaces millions of people.
For Rwanda, protecting its people is not an abstract doctrine but a responsibility shaped by its history. When armed groups with genocidal roots continue to operate with impunity, offering sanctuary or cooperation with state forces in the DRC, Kigali cannot fold its hands.
National defence is a badge of honour the Rwanda Defence Force carries with pride, and it has consistently maintained that dismantling the conditions that allow extremist militias to thrive must be part of any peace process.
Simply levelling sanctions without addressing these root causes risks undermining peace efforts and alienating a partner that has repeatedly offered constructive engagement.
Rwanda’s role in regional security stretches beyond its borders. The Rwanda Defence Force has deployed troops to Mozambique to help contain the Islamic State-linked insurgency in Cabo Delgado, working alongside local forces to protect civilians and secure critical infrastructure, at times under agreements with the Mozambican government.
Kigali has also contributed large numbers of peacekeepers to United Nations missions in the Central African Republic and South Sudan, earning a reputation for disciplined conduct and operational effectiveness in multinational operations.
These deployments show a commitment not only to its own security but to peace and stability across the continent. The very sanctions now imposed risk impacting those contributions and could send a message that African countries cannot pursue peace roles without fear of punitive measures when political winds shift.
The conflict in eastern DR Congo is complicated. There are dozens of armed groups, deep-rooted political grievances and daily humanitarian suffering.
The peace agreement brokered in Washington between Rwanda and the DRC in 2025 sought to create a framework for disengagement and cooperation, including reciprocal commitments on troop withdrawals and ending support for armed groups like the FDLR and M23.
That agreement was an important diplomatic milestone, but it has struggled in implementation, with both sides accusing each other of failing to uphold their commitments.
Simply punishing one side can entrench positions rather than open space for meaningful dialogue and progress. If the United States and other international partners truly want peace and stability in the Great Lakes region, they must broaden their lens.
Natural resources and economic interests have a place in strategic discussions, but they cannot overshadow the legitimate security concerns of smaller nations like Rwanda.
The international community must acknowledge why Rwanda insists on being heard and why its calls for action against the structures that enable violence cannot be dismissed as self-serving rhetoric.
Rwanda’s voice is shaped by lived experience, hard lessons and a deep commitment to ensuring a repeat of the tragedies of the past is impossible.
Ignoring that voice or treating it as peripheral jeopardises prospects for lasting peace and diminishes the role African states can play in shaping their own security futures.
Rwanda must be listened to. Not as an obstacle to peace, but as a national and regional partner whose security calculus is rooted in history and present realities.
Silencing or sidelining Kigali will not make regional instability disappear. It will only deepen mistrust, weaken cooperative mechanisms and prolong the very conflicts that all parties profess to want to end.
The world must hear Rwanda’s concerns and work in good faith to address them alongside those of its neighbours. Only then can diplomacy move beyond recrimination and towards genuine peace.
The writer is a Ugandan Journalist based in Kampala.
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