The latest explosive UN report accuses Kigali outright of orchestrating AFC/M23 military operations in eastern DRC. Behind the factual elements lurks a scenario that exposes the contradictions of a Western diplomacy quick to sign peace deals in Washington while turning a blind eye to Rwanda’s methodical encroachment on Kivu.
UN Report Cracks the Diplomatic Façade
The UN experts’ report, released July 2, reveals a massive Rwandan military presence in DRC, up to 6,000 troops between January and May 2025. Not merely a border crossing: these troops commanded, coordinated, and strengthened AFC/M23’s grip on Goma, Bukavu, and critical mining routes. An inconvenient truth for Washington, which days earlier hailed a so-called “peace accord” between Kinshasa and Kigali.
Rwandan Generals Pulling the Strings
The machinery is clear: behind the understated RDF uniforms stand James Kabarebe, Vincent Nyakarundi, and Patrick Karuretwa, three hawks cited for planning Rwanda AFC/M23 military operations at the highest level. US sanctions against Kabarebe in February read like moral window-dressing; everyone knows Kigali plays the Western game when the pressure proves hollow.
Beneath the Surface: Minerals, Land and Influence
Why the obsession with eastern DRC? The report is blunt: beyond the FDLR pretext, the goal remains the region’s grey gold—fertile land, strategic mines, and trade corridors. From Gisenyi, the forward HQ, Kigali manages the consolidation of entire zones for AFC/M23’s benefit. A logic of direct, lucrative, lasting control that no negotiation table can disarm.
Kinshasa’s Fragile Proxy Shield
In response, Kinshasa leans on Wazalendo and FDLR militias, at the risk of fueling an unmanageable powder keg. The report notes these groups, though weakened, are reorganizing and stepping up reprisal attacks. The security equation grows murkier: on one side, a structured, strategic Rwandan state; on the other, a patchwork of ill-coordinated proxies.
A Peace Accord? A Mere Smokescreen
One must distrust diplomatic liturgy. Kigali denies any military presence in DRC and brandishes the Washington deal as proof of good faith. But on the ground, nothing suggests a lasting RDF withdrawal. The Rwanda AFC/M23 military operations reflect a regional agenda where doublespeak is currency, and where even the UN has little power beyond words.
DRC as Rwanda’s Testing Ground
In the end, this report serves as yet another stark reminder: as long as Rwanda enjoys its diplomatic rent and the international community clings to its ambiguity, eastern DRC will remain a laboratory for influence. Behind every official statement lurks the same powerlessness: the refusal to name the obvious.
