Since the announcement of the sanctions on the evening of March 2 2026, officials in the DRC government have reacted with extreme delight, thanking the United States for acting on a request they have reportedly pursued for years.
DRC’s Foreign Minister, Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, said the U.S. decision demonstrates that no party should ignore agreements, adding that DRC officials remain steadfast in their position.
Makolo responded to Kayikwamba, saying that despite the propaganda and all efforts by the DRC government, the DRC’s support to the FDLR terrorist group is evident.
“The Government of the DRC remains the #1 backer of FDLR, which is an existential threat to Rwanda. No matter how many lies and resources are invested into propaganda to distract from DRC state sponsorship of the FDLR, this problem is not going away,” she said.
She emphasised that the U.S. sanctions on the RDF and some of its senior officials are biased and will likely push the DRC to rely even more on military solutions, thereby prolonging the conflict.
Makolo added: “One-sided sanctions unfortunately only serve to embolden the Government of the DRC in its insistence on a military solution. The result is what we see now: prolongation of the conflict, escalation of violence, lost opportunities and importantly, lost lives.”
Both the DRC and the U.S. accuse Rwanda of supporting the M23/AFC, an alliance was formed to counter politically motivated persecution against Congolese, backed by DRC policies and genocidal ideologies.
DRC’s collaboration with FDLR, left Rwandan territory shelled at different times, prompting Rwanda to strengthen its defensive measures along the border.
In a statement shared on X, Makolo also warned that inflammatory remarks against Tutsis, such as those made by former DRC army spokesperson Gen. Maj. Sylvain Ekenge on state television, risk spreading ethnic violence across the region.
Makolo concluded that addressing these issues requires the consideration of existing facts, not distortion, in the search for a solution to the eastern DRC crisis.
“The way forward to lasting peace and progress is already laid out in agreements reached in the past year, including the comprehensive Washington Accords, but the DRC appears more interested in continued war than in implementing its obligations in the peace processes,” she noted.
Reports from UN experts indicate the DRC continued aiding the FDLR even after the agreement, yet the U.S. has taken no action.
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