The United Kingdom has issued a stark warning to Rwanda, stating that its involvement in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) conflict is putting over $1 billion in global aid at risk. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy made the announcement following a direct call with Rwandan President Paul Kagame on Sunday. Lammy also held discussions with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio regarding the crisis, which has escalated with Rwandan-backed M23 rebels seizing the key city of Goma.
UK Signals Shift in Policy Toward Rwanda
Lammy’s remarks signal a break from the UK’s historically supportive stance toward Rwanda, a policy that had been upheld by both Labour and Conservative governments. The foreign secretary emphasized that Rwanda receives more than $1 billion annually in global aid, including £32 million from the UK.
“All of that is under threat when you attack your neighbors,” Lammy stated. “Just as we will not tolerate challenges to territorial integrity in Europe, we cannot allow it anywhere else in the world.”
The UK’s shift comes amid increasing international condemnation of Rwanda’s role in the renewed conflict. The DRC government, the United Nations, and Western nations, including the U.S., have accused Rwanda of deploying troops and heavy weapons in support of the M23 rebels.
Strategic and Economic Interests at Play
Kagame has long denied allegations of Rwandan interference in the DRC’s internal affairs, despite multiple UN reports linking Kigali to the M23 rebels. He has instead accused DRC President Félix Tshisekedi of arming the Forces Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda (FDLR), a militia composed of Hutu extremists responsible for the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
However, economic factors appear to be a significant driver of Rwanda’s actions in eastern DRC. Rwanda’s mineral exports reached a record $1.1 billion in 2022, raising suspicions about the source of these resources. The Congolese finance minister, Nicolas Kazadi, recently suggested that much of Rwanda’s mineral wealth originates from the DRC, particularly from North Kivu, a region rich in coltan, cassiterite, and tungsten.
The UN’s top envoy to the DRC, Bintou Keita, warned last year that smuggling of Congolese minerals is fueling armed groups in the region. With Goma now under M23 control, the city could serve as a gateway for mineral transportation into Rwanda, further intensifying tensions.
Diplomatic Fallout and Future Implications
The UK’s warning underscores growing international pressure on Rwanda to withdraw its support for the M23 rebels. While Britain has previously maintained strong ties with Kigali—most notably through a controversial 2022 asylum agreement—the latest developments suggest that diplomatic relations may face serious strain.
At the United Nations Security Council this week, Congolese Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner condemned Rwanda’s actions, calling them a “deliberate and methodical aggression against a sovereign state” and a “flagrant violation” of international peace and security.
The extent to which Rwanda will heed international calls for de-escalation remains uncertain. However, with UK aid—and broader global support—hanging in the balance, Kagame may soon have to choose between maintaining foreign alliances or pressing ahead with Rwanda’s military ambitions in the DRC.