Rwanda's foreign minister, Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, has accused Rwanda of illegally occupying the Democratic Republic of Congo and attempting to orchestrate a regime change. This claim comes after years of perceived impunity and the failure to hold Rwandan President Paul Kagame accountable for international law violations.
Following the capture of Goma by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, there were threats to advance towards Kinshasa. Rwanda's government denied these allegations, with spokeswoman Yolande Makolo stating that their troops were deployed to prevent the conflict from spilling over into Rwanda.
In response to the conflict, a special meeting of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) is convening in Zimbabwe to address the situation in DR Congo. Sadc has deployed peacekeeping troops, mainly from South Africa, to combat armed groups like the M23 and restore peace in the region.
In a rebuttal to criticism from the South African government, President Kagame dismissed Sadc troops as not being a peacekeeping force. Rwanda's government emphasized border security in response to alleged cross-border violations.
Ms. Wagner proposed cutting off foreign aid to Rwanda and imposing sanctions on leaders involved in the conflict. Additionally, she called for Rwanda's troops to be suspended from UN peacekeeping missions globally, citing the contradiction of a country promoting peace abroad while engaging in conflict in the Great Lakes region.