Kinshasa – The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has welcomed new European Union (EU) sanctions targeting senior Rwandan military officials, economic entities, and leaders of the M23 rebel group, calling them a crucial step in the fight against the exploitation of Congolese resources and ongoing violence in the eastern part of the country.

The DRC government issued a statement on Monday expressing satisfaction with the EU’s decision to impose restrictive measures on high-ranking officers of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), Rwanda’s Office of Mines, Petroleum, and Gas, and the Kigali-based Gasabo Gold Refinery, which the EU accuses of benefiting from minerals looted from Congolese territory. The government said these sanctions mark a significant step in addressing the pillaging of DRC’s mineral resources by Rwanda.

Among the individuals targeted by the sanctions are Major-General Eugene Nkubito, Commander of the RDF’s 3rd Division deployed in North Kivu, accused of directing M23 operations and human rights abuses. Brigadier-General Pascal Muhizi, Commander of the RDF’s 2nd Division, has been accused of sustaining armed conflict and instability in eastern DRC, while Major-General Ruki Karusisi, Commander of the RDF’s Special Forces, has been sanctioned for allegedly providing military support to M23. 

Francis Kamanzi, CEO of Rwanda’s Mines, Petroleum, and Gas Board, has been placed under sanctions for allegedly benefiting from illicit mineral exploitation in eastern Congo. M23’s political and military leadership has also been targeted, including Joseph Bahati Musanga, who was appointed by the rebels as governor of North Kivu; Bertrand Bisimwa, M23’s political leader; Jean-Bosco Nzabonimpa Mupenzi, who heads the group’s Finance and Production Department; and Désiré Rukomera, M23’s Head of Recruitment and Propaganda, accused of enlisting child soldiers.  

The EU also sanctioned Gasabo Gold Refinery, a Kigali-based company accused of refining and exporting illegally mined gold from the DRC. 

The latest wave of sanctions by the EU adds to mounting international pressure on Rwanda, following similar punitive measures imposed by the United States, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, and Canada. The United States recently sanctioned General James Kabarebe, a senior Rwandan government official, over his alleged role in supporting armed conflict in eastern Congo.

The DRC government reiterated that the sanctions strengthen the international community’s conviction that Rwanda is directly responsible for the escalating violence in eastern Congo. In its statement, Kinshasa accused Rwandan troops of deliberately violating DRC’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, blaming them for the deaths of more than 8,500 civilians and other war crimes, including hospital attacks, child kidnappings, and summary executions.

President Paul Kagame of Rwanda has dismissed the sanctions as unjustified and politically motivated. Addressing citizens in Kigali, he accused Western powers of trying to control Rwanda through coercion, stating that the country will not be intimidated. “Belgians destroyed Rwanda, killed Rwandans, and this history goes beyond just the past 30 years. They say, ‘We do not allow you to do this or that,’ and we ask them, ‘But who are you? Who put you in charge of us?’” Kagame declared.

He further argued that sanctions would not deter Rwanda from defending its interests, vowing that his country would stand firm. “With the limited means we have, we will stand up to them. If we could overcome greater challenges, are these the ones that will defeat us?” he said.

These developments come as peace talks in Luanda, Angola, face uncertainty following the withdrawal of M23 rebels from negotiations after the EU imposed sanctions on their leaders. However, Angola insists that the talks will proceed as planned, with Kinshasa’s delegation already in place.

With growing international isolation of Rwanda and continued fighting in eastern DRC, attention is now focused on whether diplomatic efforts will succeed or if military escalation will persist in the coming weeks.

By ChimpReports