Speaking on the second day of the National Umushyikirano Council at the Kigali Convention Centre, Minister Nduhungirehe said that while more than 10 peace agreements have been signed since 2000, including accords in Washington and Doha, and over 20 UN Security Council resolutions adopted, their implementation has been consistently ignored.
“We don’t lack legal instruments. We don’t lack forces on the ground. MONUSCO has been present for more than 26 years. What we lack is political will and good faith,” he said on Friday.
The minister explained that the absence of political will exists at two levels: within the DRC government in Kinshasa, which has repeatedly violated ceasefire agreements, and among the international community, which has failed to hold violators accountable. He highlighted attacks on civilians, including villages of Banyamulenge in South Kivu, and the use of civilian airports to launch strikes as examples of ongoing violations.
“What we lack is political will and good faith […] Everything that is happening on the ground, we have informed the international community. We have informed the UN Security Council. We have informed the mediators,” he added.
The remarks came alongside insights from Rwandan lawyer Gatete Nyiringabo, who highlighted the continued targeting and stigmatisation of Tutsi communities in the DRC. He cited incidents of hate speech and incitement to violence, including statements by a Congolese army spokesperson warning against intermarriage with Tutsi women. Nyiringabo stressed the importance of proactively using international legal instruments to protect rights and counter impunity.
“Even though we might not have so much faith in international instruments, we have to be more proactive to optimise them and make our rights respected,” he said, citing incidents in the DRC where Rwanda often remains silent in the face of attacks or hate speech.
At the forum, Minister Nduhungirehe also reassured Rwandans of the country’s security. Echoing President Paul Kagame’s statements, he emphasised that the ongoing conflict in the DRC is an internal Congolese matter and that Rwanda has not instigated it. He reaffirmed that Rwanda supports the full implementation of peace agreements, the neutralisation of the FDLR militia group, and the restoration of lasting regional stability.
“Rwanda is secure. The country is protected. Rwandans should go about their lives and sleep peacefully. We have put in place defence measures, some of which you have seen intercepting incoming shells, and others. All are designed to protect Rwanda and its people, so that we can continue pursuing our development goals,” he said.
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