Kagame Slams DRC Leaders for Rejecting Peace Pacts, Defends Gold Trade Amid Sanctions

In a lengthy press conference on November 27, 2025, President Paul Kagame offered sharp critiques of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government’s handling of the conflict, accused external powers of “hypocrisy” regarding the crisis, and defended Rwanda’s economy and gold trade against recent sanctions.

DRC Peace Efforts Stalled by Broken Promises

President Kagame confirmed that while there is a continued possibility of a meeting in Washington with the DRC president regarding Eastern Congo peace, delays are significant. He confirmed that the delays do not originate from Rwanda but “comes from somewhere else”.

Kagame criticized the tendency of DRC leaders to agree to commitments publicly—such as the Washington commitments of June 27th—and subsequently refuse to implement them or “reneg on what you actually said”. He noted that delegations may sign agreements regarding sequencing and mutual obligations, but the DRC delegation immediately sets different conditions, such as insisting that Rwanda remove forces before signing anything.

He suggested that the constant call for “sanctions for Rwanda” by DRC leaders is a diversionary tactic. He questioned how sanctioning Rwanda solves the DRC’s internal problems, such as mismanagement of the counter affairs, resolving citizenship rights for people who have been complaining for decades, or addressing the use of imported mercenaries.

The Politics of Humanitarianism and FDLR

Addressing the humanitarian crisis in Eastern Congo, particularly concerning access to Goma Airport, the President argued that the focus on the crisis, especially originating from Europe, is an “easy entry point” to shape the situation and avoid highlighting the root causes. He described the approach of certain powers as “trash of pretense,” marked by “hypocrisy and even double standards,” noting that some who express deep pain over the suffering are themselves associated with the perpetuation of the crisis.

Regarding the M23 control of Goma Airport, Kagame said that if he were controlling the airport, he would use it as leverage, conditioning its reopening on the addressing of the underlying problems that caused the conflict. He pointed out that discussions about opening the airport are complicated by the fact that the DRC government has already closed the airspace in eastern Congo.

Kagame reiterated his concern over the Genocidal Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), stating that their threat is minimized by authorities, particularly in Europe, who often question their “numbers” or “firepower”. He asserted that the FDLR is “embedded and intertwined” with Congolese forces and other government systems. He linked the minimization of the FDLR to historical political cover-ups and noted that certain European authorities and the DRC government have actively supported the FDLR agenda.

Defending Rwanda’s Gold Trade and Dismissing Accusations

The President dismissed the ongoing narrative that Rwanda is looting minerals, calling such accusations “nonsense” and pointing to the fact that European powers historically took gold from the Continent. He noted that the DRC itself deliberately undermined mineral traceability efforts.

Kagame acknowledged that the EU sanctioned two individuals leading a Rwandan smelter but confirmed that the refinery continues to operate. He insisted there is “nothing frozen” regarding gold sales, which continue to the global market, including the EU, Gulf region, or the US. He suggested that Rwanda being a point of reference in the global gold trade indicates that the accusations are driven by “politics,” “geopolitics,” and “nastiness”. The growth in gold prices—now around $4,000 per ounce—must positively impact Rwanda’s economy.

A Call for African Autonomy and Accountability

On the subject of African security, Kagame emphasized that the continent has the people, resources, and knowledge necessary to solve its own conflicts, but Africans must decide to solve the problems themselves, rather than being constrained by external bureaucracy.

Responding to recent coups (such as in Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar), Kagame stated that he is “okay with it” if coups occur because the people are “sick and tired” of leaders who lie, enrich themselves, and cheat, provided the new leaders subsequently make a difference.

He challenged the automatic acceptance of civilian leaders who are killing their own people, mismanaging resources, cheating elections, and literally destroying their countries. He suggested that the African Union should develop a mechanism to hold such corrupt civilian leaders accountable.

Commercial Partnerships and Domestic Policies

Finally, the President confirmed that the commercial partnership with Arsenal through the “Visit Rwanda” initiative would not be renewed after eight years. He clarified that this was a commercial decision resulting from a disagreement over adjustments during the renegotiation process, and not due to pressure from European countries. He acknowledged that the DRC government had repeatedly attempted to interfere with this partnership (and the partnership with PSG), but these attempts had previously failed. Rwanda is now seeking new commercial partners, including in the U.S. (NBA, NFA).