Following a recent military threat against South Africa, the Rwandan government has expressed strong discontent with the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
The tensions escalated after a meeting in Harare on January 31, 2025, where SADC, led by Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, demanded that the SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC) refrain from engaging with the M23 militant group, which is composed of Congolese citizens.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized SADC for supporting the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in its ongoing conflict with the M23. Rwanda’s government stated that SADC’s involvement was exacerbating the situation by aiding the DRC’s military operations against its own citizens.
“SADC has deployed SAMIDRC to support the government’s military actions against its own people, including members of the M23 community, many of whom have sought refuge in Rwanda and other countries in the region,” the statement said. “The DRC government has also made repeated threats against Rwanda and its leadership, as publicly stated by President Tshisekedi.”
The Rwandan government further accused SAMIDRC and its allies, including Burundian forces, the FDLR, and European mercenaries, of playing a central role in the conflict and bringing war closer to Rwanda. They argued that SAMIDRC’s involvement in the region was unjustified.
Despite this, Rwanda expressed its support for a proposed summit between the East African Community and SADC to work toward a peaceful resolution to the DRC conflict.
This statement follows an emergency meeting held in Harare, where SADC, under Mnangagwa’s leadership, accused Rwanda’s forces of attacking SAMIDRC troops in the DRC, resulting in the deaths of 13 South African soldiers part of the mission.
“The summit condemned the attacks on SAMIDRC troops by the M23 in Eastern DRC, which violate the ceasefire established in the Luanda Process of July 30, 2024, and undermine regional peace and security,” part of the SADC communique stated.
SADC also condemned the M23 group, which the United Nations has linked to Rwandan support. The M23, formed in 2012, originated from the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP) and was composed mainly of Tutsi Congolese. The group has been accused of serious human rights violations.
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