The United States imposed sanctions on Thursday against Rwandan Minister James Kabarebe due to his alleged involvement in supporting the M23 armed group in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Kabarebe, the Minister for Regional Integration, is accused of being “central” to Rwanda’s support for the militant group. According to the US Treasury Department, Kabarebe facilitated the Rwandan Defence Force (RDF)’s backing of the M23, which has made significant territorial gains in the region, including the capture of Goma and Bukavu.
The unrest in eastern DRC has raised alarms about the potential for a regional conflict, prompting international concern. The Treasury further claimed that Kabarebe coordinated the export of minerals extracted from DRC’s mining sites, funneled through Rwanda.
Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo rejected the sanctions, calling them “unjustified and unfounded.” She emphasized that the international community should focus on political solutions, rather than imposing punitive measures. “If sanctions could resolve conflict in eastern DRC, we would have had peace in the region decades ago,” Makolo added.
In addition to Kabarebe, the US also targeted Lawrence Kanyuka Kingston, a member of both the M23 and the Congo River Alliance, along with two of his companies.
Bradley Smith, acting Treasury under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, stated that these sanctions aim to hold accountable those enabling the destabilizing activities of the RDF and M23 in the DRC.
The US State Department called for Rwanda to end its support for the M23 and withdraw troops from DRC. It also urged both nations to hold accountable individuals responsible for human rights violations in the conflict.Rwanda Minister Sanctioned by US Amid DRC Fighting
