President Paul Kagame has delivered a measured but pointed response to accusations by Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Félix Tshisekedi, who used the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels to accuse Rwanda of fueling conflict in eastern Congo.
During the EU–Africa partnership summit, Tshisekedi claimed Rwanda was backing the AFC/M23 rebellion and undermining peace in the Great Lakes region. Kigali has dismissed the remarks as false, inflammatory, and politically motivated, accusing Tshisekedi of using global stages to mask his government’s failures.
Addressing delegates, and seemingly Kagame, who was in attendance, he said: “We are the only two people who can stop this escalation of conflict. Let’s act before it’s too late.”
Rwanda immediately rejected the accusations, maintaining that Kinshasa’s alliance with the FDLR, a militia that includes perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, is the true source of instability in the region.
Shortly after the forum, Kagame appeared to respond through a cryptic post on X) that quickly went viral. “If one makes an issue of noise of an empty drum, they also have a problem! Better to let it pass or walk away from it !!!”
The remark was widely interpreted as a dismissal of Tshisekedi’s claims, suggesting that his repeated accusations were hollow and meant for political theater. Stephanie Nyombayire, Press Secretary in the Office of the President, followed up with a sharp statement as well.
“President of DRC chose a global stage in Brussels today to prove the age-old saying: le ridicule ne tue pas. Putting shame aside, he asserted his peace loving nature, forgetting the many times he threatened to invade Rwanda and overthrow its leadership.
“There is no use arguing with those who have repeated their lies long enough; they have come to believe them. There are no lessons Rwanda needs to be taught about the meaning of peace; those of us who have fought for peace know its price,” she added in reference to Kagame’s constant reminder to the world.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olivier Nduhungirehe, issued a detailed rebuttal directly turning responsibility back to Kinshasa by correcting the public that the only person who can stop this escalation is President Tshisekedi, and him alone.
“He can do so by putting an end to his belligerent attitude, including his public threats to invade Rwanda or bomb Kigali… stopping his support for the genocidal FDLR, expelling them from his army, and neutralising them as required by the Washington Peace Agreement.”
Tshisekedi has repeatedly undermined peace initiatives while using rhetoric to rally domestic support. Kigali pointed to the DRC leader’s past threats, including one in December 2023 when he said: “If you continue to destabilise eastern Congo, I will ask parliament to declare war on you. We will march on Kigali.”
Rwanda insists it has no ties to M23, emphasising instead that DRC’s collaboration with the FDLR remains the main obstacle to regional peace. The two countries are signatories to the Washington Peace Agreement and the Doha Declaration of Principles, which aimed to promote disarmament and dialogue.
The latest tensions come just days after the DRC pulled out of a U.S.-brokered regional economic cooperation pact with Rwanda, a move Kigali described as another act of bad faith.
Kinshasa has repeatedly violated those commitments by integrating FDLR elements into its army and conducting provocative attacks near the border. While others make noise, Kagame’s message is that Rwanda will not be drawn into rhetoric but will continue to stand firm on truth and peace.
