The United States has issued its strongest rebuke yet of Rwanda’s involvement in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), calling for an immediate withdrawal of Rwandan troops and an end to its support for the M23 rebel group.
U.S. senior advisor for Africa, Massad Boulos, and deputy assistant secretary Corina Sanders emphasized in a press briefing that Rwanda’s military presence in eastern DRC is “unacceptable” and a major source of instability. “The M23 would not be the military force it is today without external support, particularly from Rwanda,” Sanders stated. The remarks follow Boulos’ regional tour, which included meetings with leaders in Rwanda, DRC, and Uganda. He credited recent M23 withdrawals — like from the strategic town of Walikale — to U.S. diplomatic pressure and hinted at economic implications, noting that the reopening of a U.S.-linked tin mine in the area stabilized global tin prices.
Boulos reaffirmed U.S. support for peace processes in Luanda and Nairobi, stressing the need to protect DRC’s territorial integrity. He also confirmed the U.S. is working on a security and investment strategy for the region, anchored in infrastructure development and private sector engagement. The U.S. would “consider all diplomatic and economic tools to advance peace,” Boulos said. “This conflict has gone on for too long. It’s been more than three decades, and it’s about time to end it.” The statement places new diplomatic pressure on president Paul Kagame’s government, as international frustration mounts over the long-standing conflict that has displaced millions in eastern Congo.