Rwanda condemns European Parliament's ‘biased’ resolution on DR Congo conflict
The Rwandan Parliament reaffirmed its support for resolving the conflict through dialogue, urging the DRC government to engage with all warring parties.
Rwanda's Parliament has condemned the European Parliament's resolution on the security crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), accusing it of pushing a biased narrative that ignores the root causes of the conflict and Rwanda's security concerns.
In a statement released on Friday containing its resolutions, the Rwandan Parliament rejected the European Parliament's claim that the crisis is driven by mineral exploitation, arguing that the real issue is the DRC government's role in fuelling ethnic divisions and violence, particularly against Congolese Tutsi communities.
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"The European Parliament deliberately ignores the massacres, hate speech, and persecution targeting Congolese Tutsi," the statement read.
"This crisis is not about minerals, but about a long-standing ethnic conflict worsened by the DRC government's failure to address deep-rooted issues," it said.
Rwanda Parliament accused the DRC government of forming a coalition aimed at toppling Rwanda's leadership, which includes the Forces Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda (FDLR), a militia composed of perpetrators of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi alongside Burundian forces, ethnic militias known as Wazalendo, and European mercenaries.
It further claimed that this coalition has amassed heavy weaponry, including attack drones, guided missiles, and mortars, in preparation for a direct confrontation with Rwanda.
Trenches facing Rwanda
It also alleged that the Congolese military and its allies had dug trenches facing Rwanda, signalling plans for an attack.
The Rwandan Parliament also denounced the European Parliament for failing to condemn the FDLR, despite what it described as the group's central role in the region's instability.
"It is shocking that the European Parliament remains silent on the atrocities committed by the FDLR while condemning the M23 Movement (M23) without addressing the conditions that led to its resurgence," the statement said.
Rwanda also criticised the European Parliament's call for sanctions against Kigali, warning that such measures have historically failed to bring peace and instead emboldened the DRC government to pursue a military solution.
"Sanctions have never brought stability. Instead, they strengthen those who seek to escalate the conflict," the statement said.
At the time, the Rwandan Parliament accused the DRC government of working alongside the FDLR to launch cross-border attacks on Rwanda.
Killings in Rubavu
It cited a recent incident on January 26, 2025 when shelling in Rubavu District killed 16 people and injured 177 others.
The Rwandan Parliament reaffirmed its support for resolving the conflict through dialogue, urging the DRC government to engage with all warring parties.
This includes the M23 rebels, as agreed upon during the recent East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in Dar es Salaam.
It also called on the international community to take a more balanced approach, rather than adopting what it described as one-sided narratives that ignore the realities on the ground.
"Every sovereign country has the right to protect its territorial integrity. It is time for the international community to encourage real dialogue rather than fuelling divisions with biased resolutions," the statement said.
The resolution was sent to key international bodies, including the African Union, the European Commission and the East African Community, signalling Rwanda's strong opposition to the European Parliament's stance on the crisis.
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