UK suspends aid to Rwanda over DR Congo conflict

The United Kingdom said on Tuesday it was suspending direct bilateral financial aid to Rwanda, with exceptions for the poorest and most vulnerable, in the latest move to increase pressure on Kigali over the war in eastern Congo.

The decision, announced by the UK government, was one of five steps London said it was taking to pressure Rwanda to stop supporting M23 rebels in eastern DRC.

The UK said it would also suspend future defence training assistance and demanded that Rwanda "withdraw all Rwanda Defence Forces from Congolese territory".

Other sanctions announced in a statement by the UK government on Tuesday include a review of export licences to the Rwandan military, a halt to high-level attendance at events hosted by the Rwandan government, and a restriction on trade promotion activities with Rwanda.

It said it would also "coordinate with partners on potential new sanctions designations".

“The UK is deeply concerned by the situation in eastern DRC. The Foreign Secretary met with President Tshisekedi in Kinshasa and President Kagame in Kigali on February 21 and 22.

“In his meetings, he was clear that there can be no military solution to the conflict. There must be an immediate cessation of hostilities. The recent offensives by M23 and the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), including the capture of Goma and Bukavu, are an unacceptable violation of DRC’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a breach of the UN Charter.”

“The humanitarian situation in eastern DRC is critical. Close to a million people have been recently displaced in eastern DRC and hundreds of thousands are in desperate need of lifesaving support. There is a responsibility on all parties to protect the people of eastern DRC who have suffered so much in this conflict,” reads the statement by the UK government.

“The Foreign Secretary urged both leaders to engage meaningfully and in good faith with African led peace processes to find a lasting political solution.”

London wants all parties to honour all commitments made at the joint EAC-SADC summit on February 8, which called on the parties to cease fire, withdraw from occupied territory and open a new chapter of dialogue.

“The Foreign Secretary has been clear that there would be a strong response from the international community in response to the escalating conflict.”

In recent weeks, the UK has coordinated closely with international partners, including those from the G7 and the International Contact Group on the Great Lakes, on that response.

And it says it has also taken every appropriate opportunity, including at the United Nations Security Council and the UN Human Rights Council, to call for a resolution to the conflict in Eastern DRC.

“During the Foreign Secretary’s visit, he announced an additional package of £14.6 million of humanitarian support to help those in Eastern DRC who are suffering most.

“The UK calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities, humanitarian access, respect for international humanitarian law, meaningful engagement with African-led peace processes, and the withdrawal of all Rwanda Defence Forces from Congolese territory.”

The move by the UK adds to pressure from the European Union and individual governments of Belgium and the United States. Last week, the US sanctioned Rwanda's Minister for Regional Integration, James Baturebe, and M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka over the M23 offensives in the Congo. The M23 has taken over Goma and Bukavu, two of the largest cities in eastern Congo, and has threatened to continue its march.

On Saturday, Kanyuka told journalists that the M23 rebel group was now ready to sit down with the government in Kinshasa. The Congolese government has refused to talk to the group, accusing it of being under direction from Kigali.

Kigali has argued that dialogue between the M23 and Kinshasa will also help Rwanda address its security concerns. Kigali generally scoffed at western pressure as "selective".

“Rwanda may have security concerns but it is unacceptable to resolve these militarily. There can only be a political solution to this conflict. We encourage DRC to engage with M23 as part of an inclusive dialogue.

“We will continue to keep our policy under review,” said the UK government.

On Monday, the EU warned that it would suspend defence cooperation agreements with Rwanda and said it was considering a proposal by the EU Parliament to suspend a mineral value chain agreement with Rwanda.

The Rwandan government had not yet responded to the UK's decision. But in a statement last week following the UK's recall of Rwanda's envoy in London, Kigali said: "The UK should align itself with and support the AU-backed EAC/SADC peace process and avoid emboldening the DRC's position to seek a military only solution."

“The Rwanda Defence Forces has always maintained defensive measures in response to genuine security threats along our border.

“These threats recently materialised with the January 26 attacks against the Rubavu border town after the fall of Goma, resulting in 16 deaths and 177 civilian casualties in Rwanda.

“Rwanda continues to face an existential security threat from the DRC-backed FDLR genocidal militia, which was involved in the shelling of in Rwandan territory in June 2022, just two weeks before the CHOGM in Kigali.”

The UK's recently toughened stance signals a looming fallout between the two countries, with some analysts saying it brings Rwanda much closer to losing the nearly $1 billion in aid it receives from the UK.