The United States has imposed sanctions on Rwanda’s defence ministry over its alleged support for the M23 rebel group in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The move adds pressure on Kigali to pull its troops out of the country and stop backing the rebels. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that “Rwanda must halt its support for M23 and withdraw its troops from eastern DRC.”
The sanctions arrive several months after Rwanda and DR Congo signed a peace agreement brokered by the United States, which was meant to bring an end to the fighting. Violence has nonetheless continued in the east since early 2025, when M23 took control of the cities of Goma and Bukavu. Rwanda denies that it backs the group.
Washington alleges direct military role for Rwanda’s forces
According to the US Treasury, Rwanda’s defence ministry sent thousands of troops to fight alongside M23 in eastern DR Congo. Washington says the ministry also supplied weapons, equipment, logistics and training to the group.
The Treasury also outlined further allegations against Rwandan entities. It says the sanctioned bank, Zigama Credit and Savings Society, serves Rwanda’s security services and facilitated tens of millions of dollars in transactions for M23 and its political wing, the Congo River Alliance. Washington further alleges that the bank helped pay for military equipment bought from China for Rwandan forces and enabled gold to be moved from rebel-held areas to Kigali.
- Freezing of assets of the designated entities under US jurisdiction
- A general ban on US individuals and businesses transacting with them, unless authorised or exempt
- Possible penalties for US and foreign parties that violate the measures
Mineral flows from rebel-held areas under scrutiny
M23 has seized mineral-rich areas, including gold-mining sites in South Kivu and Rubaya, a major coltan-producing area in North Kivu. Washington says minerals from rebel-held territory enter Rwanda’s supply chains. It alleges that Rwanda exports more minerals than it produces.
The sanctions are meant to reinforce the Washington Accords, which the Congolese and Rwandan presidents signed in December 2025 under US mediation. The agreement aimed to end the conflict and widen regional trade and investment, but fighting has carried on. Before the announcement, on 24 October, DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi called on the international community to increase pressure on Rwanda.
Tshisekedi said, “We must firmly demand that the international community impose concrete sanctions against Rwanda and exert increased pressure, so that we may finally secure a lasting peace in our country.” The DR Congo foreign ministry welcomed the sanctions in a statement. It urged Rwanda to honour its commitments under the Washington Accords, respect the UN Charter and withdraw its troops from Congolese territory.
Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo rejected that account. She said, “The Washington Accords contain clear commitments regarding Rwanda’s security, specifically the neutralization of the DR Congo-sponsored FDLR genocidal militia, which are wholly unmet, and with no accountability.” Kigali considers the FDLR, a militia linked to perpetrators of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide, a security threat. It cites the group’s presence in eastern DR Congo to justify its military posture.
Earlier measures and pressure on Rwanda’s sports partnerships
The latest sanctions follow earlier US measures against Rwanda’s army and four senior military commanders in March 2026. In June 2026, Washington also sanctioned the Gasabo gold refinery and three mining companies that it accused of smuggling conflict minerals.
Pressure is also building over Rwanda’s sports sponsorships. In a letter dated 23 October and addressed to National Basketball Association (NBA) commissioner Adam Silver, senators Jeff Merkley and Marsha Blackburn questioned the league’s continued partnership with Rwanda. They asked whether it fits the league’s stated commitment to human rights, citing alleged abuses. The NBA has yet to issue a substantive response.
Rwanda has used high-profile sport to raise its international profile. Earlier this month, it secured a 10-year deal to host Formula 1’s African Grand Prix in the early 2030s. The country’s sponsorship of Arsenal ended in 2026, and Bayern Munich has also ended its commercial partnership with Visit Rwanda.
The M23 has also joined a new rebel coalition, the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN), led by former Congolese President Joseph Kabila. The coalition wants to oust Tshisekedi’s government.
