The US Department of the Treasury has announced sanctions against a Rwandan government minister and a prominent member of an armed group due to their alleged involvement in the ongoing conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This decision comes as M23 rebels continue their offensive in the region, prompting a significant refugee crisis that has seen thousands flee to Burundi.
On Thursday, the Treasury Department identified James Kabarebe, Rwanda’s Minister of State for Regional Integration, as a key figure in Rwanda’s support for the M23 group. The sanctions also target Lawrence Kanyuka Kingston, a senior spokesperson for the Congo River Alliance, which includes the M23, along with two companies he controls in the UK and France. The Treasury stated that both individuals and their associated entities are linked to violence and human rights violations in the DRC.
These sanctions emphasize the urgent need for Rwanda to engage in negotiations under the Angola-led Luanda Process, which aims to resolve the conflict in eastern DRC. Despite the allegations, the Rwandan government has denied claims from the United Nations and other nations regarding its military backing of the M23 rebels. Rwanda has instead accused the DRC of harboring the FDLR, an armed group formed by Hutus involved in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
The DRC government has countered by accusing Rwanda of pursuing expansionist goals and illegally extracting minerals from its territory. A recent UN report highlighted that rebels in eastern DRC exported 150 tonnes of coltan to Rwanda under dubious circumstances in 2024.
In a separate diplomatic move, Germany has summoned the Rwandan ambassador to express its concerns about the M23’s advances in the DRC. Germany’s Federal Foreign Office has condemned the situation, insisting that Rwanda must respect DRC’s sovereignty and withdraw its troops. The ministry also urged the DRC government to engage in dialogue with the M23 while considering Rwanda’s legitimate security interests.
The conflict has led to a humanitarian crisis, with the UN refugee agency reporting that the situation has triggered the largest influx of refugees into Burundi in 25 years, with approximately 30,000 individuals crossing the border to escape the violence. UNHCR representative Brigitte Mukanga-Eno noted that the flow of refugees continues to rise dramatically.
As M23 rebels have made significant territorial gains, including the capture of major cities like Goma and Bukavu, fears of a broader regional conflict have intensified. Reports from the UN human rights office have confirmed grave human rights abuses, including summary executions of children by M23 fighters. Some of the rebels themselves are reportedly minors, raising further concerns about the conflict’s impact on vulnerable populations.
In Bukavu, the situation remains dire, with humanitarian workers struggling to identify victims of the violence. While the M23 denies responsibility for recent killings, attributing them to the Congolese army, the ongoing turmoil underscores the urgent need for a peaceful resolution to the conflict and the protection of human rights in the region.