On Tuesday, Britain announced it would suspend some of its bilateral aid to Rwanda and impose diplomatic sanctions in response to Kigali’s involvement in the ongoing conflict in neighbouring Congo.
Rwanda is under intense international scrutiny over accusations of supporting the M23 rebel group, which has seized large parts of eastern Congo, including the cities of Goma and Bukavu, as well as lucrative mineral resources, since January.
While Kigali denies backing the M23, it maintains that its military actions are in self-defense against hostile groups operating from Congolese territory.
A statement from the British government emphasized that the suspension of aid and sanctions would remain in place until there is significant progress toward ending hostilities and the withdrawal of all Rwandan Defence Forces from Congo. A UK government spokesperson stated, “Rwanda may have security concerns, but resolving them militarily is unacceptable. There can only be a political solution to this conflict.”
The UK also urged the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to engage in inclusive dialogue with the M23. The British government said it would continue to monitor the situation and review its policies accordingly.
