UK suspends aid to Rwanda over support for DRC rebels

The UK government has declared it will stop participating in events organized by the Rwandan government and halt assistance to the East African country due to progress made by rebels supported by Kigali in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Britain has likewise warned of sanctions targeting Rwanda, which is backing the M23 rebel faction in the DRC. Recently, the group has taken over the cities of Goma and Bukavu while battling for dominance in the DRC’s mineral-rich eastern area, with UN experts asserting that around 4,000 Rwandan soldiers also support the rebels.

On Tuesday, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) announced it would reduce interactions with the Kigali government due to its connections with the rebel attack.

“The UK calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities, humanitarian access, respect for international humanitarian law, meaningful engagement with African-led peace processes, and the withdrawal of all Rwanda Defence Forces from Congolese territory,” the government department said.

The British government will “cease high-level attendance at events hosted by the government of Rwanda” and will also pause financial aid to all but the “poorest and most vulnerable” in Rwanda, as well as limit trade promotion activities.

Export licences for the Rwanda Defence Force are under review, and training for its soldiers have been suspended, the FCDO said.

The UK also warned it may “coordinate with partners on potential new sanctions designations”.

The statement added: “Rwanda may have security concerns but it is unacceptable to resolve these militarily. There can only be a political solution to this conflict. We encourage DRC to engage with M23 as part of an inclusive dialogue.

“We will continue to keep our policy under review.”

High Commissioner Johnston Busingye, Rwanda’s highest diplomat in the UK, was called by the government last week to voice worries over the war. Since the 1994 murder of the Tutsis in neighboring Rwanda, when many Hutus fled into the region surrounding Goma and Bukavu, the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has seen recurrent outbreaks of violence.

The Congolese government has denied Rwanda’s accusations that it recruited some of the Hutus who committed genocide into its military. Although some commentators believe M23 is aiming to take control of Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the organization maintains that it is fighting to prevent prejudice against Tutsis in the eastern DRC.