The United States has sanctioned Rwanda’s defense ministry over its alleged backing of the M23 rebel group in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, escalating pressure on Kigali to pull its forces and cease support for the insurgents.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, “Rwanda must halt its support for M23 and withdraw its troops from eastern DRC.”
The measures follow months after Rwanda and the DRC signed a US‑brokered peace deal intended to end the conflict.
Clashes have persisted in eastern Congo since January 2025, when the M23 captured the cities of Goma and Bukavu. Rwanda maintains it does not back the rebel group.
According to the US Treasury, Rwanda’s defense ministry dispatched thousands of troops to fight alongside M23 in eastern Congo, supplying weapons, equipment, logistics and training.
The M23 has taken control of mineral‑rich zones in North and South Kivu, encompassing gold mines in South Kivu and Rubaya, a key coltan source. U.S. officials say minerals from the rebel‑held regions flow into Rwanda’s supply chains, contending that Kigali exports more minerals than it domestically produces.
The sanctions are designed to bolster the Washington Accords, signed by the presidents of the DRC and Rwanda in December 2025 under U.S. mediation. The agreement sought to halt the fighting and boost regional trade and investment, yet hostilities persist.
On 24 October, just before the sanctions were announced, DRC President Félix Tshisekedi called on the global community to step up pressure on Rwanda.
“We must firmly demand that the international community impose concrete sanctions against Rwanda and exert increased pressure, so that we may finally secure a lasting peace in our country,” he said.
In a Reuters statement, the DRC’s foreign ministry welcomed the sanctions and urged Rwanda to honor its obligations under the Washington Accords, respect the UN Charter, and withdraw its troops from Congolese soil.
“The Washington Accords contain clear commitments regarding Rwanda’s security, specifically the neutralization of the DR Congo‑sponsored FDLR genocidal militia, which remain wholly unmet and lack accountability,” Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo told the BBC.
The FDLR is a militia linked to the perpetrators of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide. Kigali regards it as a security threat and cites its presence in eastern Congo as justification for its military posture.
Rwanda remains prepared to fully implement the Washington Accords, provided the DRC demonstrates a willingness to fulfill its own commitments, and that the mediator holds all parties accountable,” she said.
The United States also sanctioned Zigama Credit and Savings Society, a financial institution that serves Rwanda’s security services.
U.S. officials allege that the institution facilitated tens of millions of dollars in transactions for M23 and its political wing, the Congo River Alliance, helped procure military equipment for Rwandan forces from China, and enabled gold to be moved from rebel‑controlled territories to Kigali.
The sanctions freeze the assets of the designated entities under U.S. jurisdiction and generally bar U.S. persons and companies from engaging in transactions with them, unless authorized or exempt. Violations can incur penalties for both U.S. and foreign parties.
These measures follow earlier U.S. sanctions levied against Rwanda’s army and four senior military commanders in March 2026. Additional sanctions were imposed in June 2026 on the Gasabo gold refinery and three mining firms accused of smuggling conflict minerals.
Pressure is also mounting over Rwanda’s international sports partnerships. Two U.S. senators have urged the National Basketball Association (NBA) to reconsider its commercial ties with Kigali, questioning whether the relationship aligns with the league’s stated human‑rights commitments.
In a letter dated 23 October addressed to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, Senators Jeff Merkley and Marsha Blackburn questioned the league’s continued partnership with Rwanda amid allegations of human‑rights abuses.
The NBA has not yet issued a substantive response to the correspondence.
Rwanda has leveraged high‑profile sports sponsorships to elevate its international profile. Earlier this month, the country secured a ten‑year agreement to host Formula 1’s African Grand Prix in the early 2030s.
Its sponsorship of Arsenal concluded in 2026, and Bayern Munich has also terminated its commercial partnership with Visit Rwanda.
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