DR Congo protests Formula 1’s ‘indefensible’ decision to race in Rwanda

Formula One is set to return to Africa for the first time in over three decades, though the Democratic Republic of Congo has condemned the planned Rwandan Grand Prix as morally indefensible.

Published On 15 Oct 202615 Oct 2026

According to Therese Kayikwamba Wagner, the foreign minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Formula 1’s involvement in Rwanda would polish the image of an authoritarian leader.

On Tuesday, Rwandan President Paul Kagame appeared with Formula 1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem to announce the planned African Grand Prix. The event is slated for a new circuit in Bugesera, near Kigali, with a start date in the early 2030s. Formula 1 last competed in Africa in 1993.

The Democratic Republic of Congo, the United States, and United Nations experts allege that Rwanda supports the M23 rebel group operating in eastern DRC. Rwanda counters that its security measures are designed to defend against armed groups crossing its border.

In a February 2025 statement, Kayikwamba Wagner warned Stefano Domenicali and F1 officials that permitting Rwanda to host a Grand Prix would be morally indefensible. While the DRC welcomes Formula 1’s return to Africa, she said providing Paul Kagame a platform would lend credibility to an authoritarian regime implicated in a devastating war.

Kayikwamba Wagner noted that the DRC supports South Africa’s bid to host a Formula 1 race instead.

She added that this presents an opportunity for Formula 1 to demonstrate its values, insisting on credible, independent guarantees that none of the race’s funding derives from conflict‑linked minerals or the exploitation of Congolese resources.

The DRC has previously objected to Rwanda’s attempts to boost its international profile through sports sponsorships, notably high‑profile deals with prominent European football clubs.

In March, the United States imposed sanctions on Rwanda’s military and four senior officers for supporting M23 rebels in eastern DRC. Rwanda dismissed the sanctions as one‑sided and said they misrepresented the conflict.

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