Kagame Urges Self-Reliance as Calls for US Sanctions Mount
Last update: February 5, 2026
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Rwanda faces scrutiny over alleged role in eastern DR Congo conflict.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame has called on the country to deepen its self-reliance as pressure builds in the United States to impose further sanctions over Rwanda’s involvement in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
CBI News reports that Rwanda has faced mounting international criticism for backing the M23 armed group, which last year seized large areas of eastern DRC.
Although a US-brokered peace deal between Kigali and Kinshasa was signed in Washington late last year, M23 fighters captured another major city, Uvira, days later.
There is bipartisan support in the US Congress for tougher measures against Rwanda. Speaking in Kigali, Kagame stressed the need for autonomy, saying Rwanda must not depend on the goodwill of others that can be withdrawn at any time.
Rwanda denies direct military involvement in the DRC, saying its actions are defensive and aimed at countering militias linked to perpetrators of the 1994 genocide.
However, Kagame appeared to acknowledge a presence across the border, while Rwanda’s ambassador to Washington has publicly admitted to security coordination with M23, citing national security concerns.
