To Her Excellency Kaja Kallas
High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union
Chair of the Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union
Brussels, February 18, 2025
CC: President of the European Commission, President of the European Parliament, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the European Union member states
Subject: Urgent Appeal for Decisive EU Action in Response to the Conflict in Eastern DRC
Your Excellency,
Jambo ASBL is a European-based non-governmental organization dedicated to the promotion of peace, democracy, and human rights in the Great Lakes region of Africa, with a particular focus on Rwanda. For over a decade, we have tirelessly advocated for the rule of law, the fight against discrimination, and the establishment of liberal democracy as the only sustainable path to stability in the region. It is in this capacity that we wish to bring to your attention our grave concerns regarding the ongoing crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which is set to be discussed at the European Union’s Foreign Affairs Council meeting on Monday, February 24, 2025.
Upholding International Law and EU Values
The European Union has consistently upheld the principles of international law, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and human rights, particularly in its firm response to the conflict in Ukraine. We urge the EU to apply the same unwavering principles to the crisis in eastern DRC. The ongoing war, fueled by Rwanda’s active military involvement and its support for the M23 rebel group, constitutes a blatant violation of these fundamental norms. Any effective resolution to this conflict must prioritize international law and reinforce the sovereignty of the DRC.
Measures must therefore be taken by the European Union, as, at this stage, only sanctions have the leverage to achieve the desired outcome—a genuine ceasefire and a return to political dialogue. These measures should not be viewed as an end in themselves but as a necessary tool to compel the aggressor country—in this case, Rwanda and its regime in power—to engage in a diplomatic and political resolution. Their enforcement would not constitute unwarranted interference in African affairs, particularly as they are being requested by the DRC government, numerous African states, and, most importantly, the affected populations.
Rwanda’s Strategy: Avoiding Accountability
Rwanda continues to maneuver diplomatically to confine the resolution of this conflict within non-binding frameworks that serve its interests while systematically disregarding its commitments. This approach has led to the repeated failure of African-led mediation efforts:
- The Nairobi Process, initiated by the East African Community (EAC) to negotiate with M23, was outright rejected by the rebel group, rendering it ineffective.
- The Luanda Process, under the African Union’s auspices, despite the commendable efforts of President João Lourenço and the Congolese government, has failed to halt the Rwandan military’s direct involvement and the M23’s advances.
- The EAC-SADC Summit of February 8, 2024, which mandated an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, was flagrantly violated. Instead, Rwandan forces and M23 rebels launched their most significant offensive in three years, advancing nearly 250 kilometers, seizing Goma in January 2025, and capturing Bukavu in February 2025. Uvira is expected to fall in the coming days.
These repeated failures underscore Rwanda’s contempt for African-led peace processes and its systematic refusal to honor agreements. The absence of concrete repercussions for Kigali’s actions has emboldened its continued aggression.
No Military Solution—Except for Rwanda
The international consensus is clear: there is no military solution to this conflict. Yet Rwanda alone persists in pursuing one. It finances, arms, and supports the M23, prolonging the war against the DRC while insisting that the issue of the Forces Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda (FDLR)—a political-military movement defending Rwandan refugees in DRC, founded six years after the 1994 genocide—must be resolved solely through military means.
The real issue behind the FDLR is the unresolved plight of over 204,288 Rwandan refugees in eastern DRC, according to the December 2024 UNHCR report. This is likely an underestimation, as it does not account for stateless individuals and those living under false identities. This community, the oldest refugee population in Africa, has been systematically ignored by Rwanda for three decades. Kigali has consistently refused to engage in political reforms that would facilitate their safe and dignified return, instead seeking to erase the issue through military force—a grave strategic and humanitarian miscalculation.
Several European states have financed voluntary repatriation programs for Rwandan refugees, yet these efforts have yielded minimal results: in the past ten years, only 9,000 refugees have returned, many forcibly. This failure continues to serve as Rwanda’s pretext for invading the DRC under the guise of national security.
The EU’s Role: Facilitating a Comprehensive Resolution
Given its historical position as a key development partner, the EU is uniquely positioned to propose an inclusive framework for a global political resolution to the Great Lakes crisis. Such a framework must address the root causes of instability, including:
- The issue of Congolese Tutsi refugees currently in Rwanda.
- The Rwandan Hutu refugees in DRC and the necessity of their safe repatriation.
- The imperative political reforms in both Rwanda and DRC to guarantee a sustainable and dignified resolution.
Proposed Sanctions
Individual Sanctions:
- Gen. Rt. James Kabarebe, Minister of State in Charge of Regional Affairs – Long-standing coordinator of Rwanda’s support for M23 and illicit mineral exploitation.
- Gen. Ruki Karusisi, Commander of Rwanda’s Special Forces – Directly responsible for leading Rwandan military operations in eastern DRC, including attacks on UN peacekeepers and SAMIDRC forces.
- Francis Gatare, Senior Economic Advisor to the Presidency of Rwanda – Oversees the trafficking of conflict minerals from the DRC on behalf of the Rwandan government.
- Gen. Patrick Karuretwa, Director General at the Ministry of Defence – a key strategist in the destabilization operations in the DRC and the RDF-M23 campaign in the country.
- Col. Jean-Paul Nyirabutama, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS), a key strategist in the destabilization operations in the DRC and the RDF-M23 campaign in the country.
- Amb. Emmanuel Hategeka, Rwandan Ambassador to the UAE – Coordinates the distribution of illegally mined minerals through the rerouting hub established by Rwanda in the UAE
Entity Sanctions
- Crystal Ventures and its subsidiaries – A private holding controlled by Rwanda’s ruling elite, deeply involved in mineral trafficking and financing destabilization in eastern DRC.
- Rwanda Development Board (RDB) & Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board (RMB) – State institutions complicit in the illicit extraction and sale of DRC minerals.
Cancellation and suspension of EU-Rwanda Partnerships
- Cancellation of the Memorandum of Understanding on Sustainable Raw Materials Value Chains with Rwanda. This memorandum should only be established through a tripartite agreement between the EU, the DRC, and Rwanda, ensuring transparency, balanced interests, and a mutually beneficial framework for lasting peace.
- Suspension of military and security assistance between the EU, member states, and Rwanda, including a halt in arms sales and financial support for Rwanda’s military operations in Mozambique via the European Peace Facility (EPF).
- Suspension of investments under the EU Global Gateway strategy, which currently allocates over €900 million to Rwanda in various sectors.
Conclusion
Your Excellency, the European Union has both a moral responsibility and a strategic interest in taking decisive action. Ensuring stability in the Great Lakes region through democratic governance and the rule of law is not only an ethical imperative but also a crucial geopolitical necessity. The failure of African-led mediation efforts and Rwanda’s continued defiance of international law call for a firm, coordinated, and resolute response.
We express our sincere gratitude to the European Parliament for its strong resolution and clear call to action. We also commend EU member states for their firm commitment to defending the sovereignty of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Finally, we thank the many european states with whom we have engaged in dialogue, who have shown receptiveness to our appeal for peace and a comprehensive, lasting solution.
Norman Ishimwe SINAMENYE
President of Jambo asbl