President Paul Kagame has reiterated that Rwanda will not seek permission from anyone to protect itself against threats posed by the FDLR, a terrorist group operating in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and its allies.
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Three Decades of Unresolved Security Threats
Speaking to journalists on August 24, 2026, President Kagame said the FDLR issue has persisted for more than 30 years because those responsible for addressing it, including the DRC government and the international community, have failed to tackle its root causes.
The Head of State said that, before the Washington Agreement between Rwanda and the DRC, there had been numerous initiatives and hundreds of rounds of talks, but the problem had persisted, eventually leading to Rwanda being burdened with responsibility for the region’s security challenges.
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Criticism of DRC Government and International Sanctions
President Kagame said the DRC government has shown no genuine willingness to resolve the FDLR issue, noting that at times it acknowledges the group’s existence, while at other times it denies that it exists. He added that the DRC government has also claimed that the FDLR is an excuse created by Rwanda to exploit minerals belonging to Congolese people.
Regarding sanctions imposed on Rwanda, President Kagame said they create problems rather than solve them because they are applied selectively and fail to address the actual issue.
he said: “Instead of sanctioning the FDLR, or those who work with or support it, they sanction those fighting it. I do not understand the basis for that.”
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Accusations of Active Support for Terror Groups
President Kagame said the DRC government continues to support the FDLR and has incorporated members of the group into its armed forces, stressing that evidence and testimonies regarding this cooperation have been presented on various occasions.
The President said that despite this, the international community continues to disregard the evidence and testimonies, supporting certain parties while imposing measures on others as it sees fit.
Uncompromising Commitment to National Defense
He stressed that, regardless of the circumstances, Rwanda will continue to protect its security at whatever cost is necessary, day or night, saying that this is the only option available to the country.
he said: “The most important thing remains how we conduct ourselves. First, we conduct ourselves in a way that protects us, at whatever cost. We will do whatever is necessary to ensure that protection, day or night. There are no two ways about it; there is only one.”
President Kagame said Rwanda is a country that rejects chaos and therefore cannot allow its enemies to find opportunities to destabilise it, adding that Rwanda will not seek permission to defend itself.
he said: “We will also try to do what is right. You know that we are a country that cannot accept being destabilised. If we give our many enemies opportunities to bring chaos upon us, I think that would be our own mistake. We try to prevent that. We do what is right in protecting ourselves, and we will do so without fear and without seeking permission, day or night, at any time. It is a worthwhile task to undertake the very difficult work of protecting ourselves.”
President Kagame said Rwanda is a peace-loving country, which is why it works with various African countries to promote peace and remains committed to defending it.
