Rwanda’s involvement in the invasion of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has put more than $1 billion in global aid at risk, according to UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
In a direct warning, Lammy informed Rwandan President Paul Kagame during a phone call on Sunday that the country’s actions threaten its international funding. The conversation followed his discussions with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio about the escalating crisis.
Lammy highlighted that Rwanda receives over $1 billion in global aid annually, including approximately £32 million in bilateral assistance from the UK.
“All of that is under threat when you attack your neighbours, and we are clear that we cannot have countries challenging the territorial integrity of other countries. Just as we will not tolerate it in the continent of Europe, we cannot tolerate it wherever in the world it happens. We have to be clear about that,” Lammy stated.
Shift in UK-Rwanda Relations
Lammy’s remarks signal a significant shift in British policy towards Rwanda, which has previously enjoyed strong support from both Labour and Conservative governments, as well as key figures such as Tony Blair.
Kagame has long been celebrated at global forums, with his domestic policies often overlooked due to his role in ending the Rwandan genocide and addressing public health crises. However, the recent escalation of violence has drawn widespread condemnation.
This week, Rwandan-backed M23 rebels seized Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, exacerbating a conflict that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced over a million people.
Growing International Condemnation
The DRC government, UN officials, and countries including the US have accused Rwanda of fueling the conflict by deploying thousands of troops and heavy weaponry in support of the M23 rebel group.
A potential shift in UK policy will depend on Rwanda’s response to international calls to withdraw from Goma. However, experts suggest that UK-Rwandan diplomatic relations may face long-term damage.
Kagame became a controversial figure in UK politics in 2022 when he agreed to the British government’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. To defend the policy from legal challenges, the UK government had to overlook Rwanda’s human rights record and designate it a safe country for asylum seekers. At the time, then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson described Rwanda as “one of the safest countries in the world.”
However, Freedom of Information requests later revealed that while the Home Office assured MPs of Rwanda’s safety, the Foreign Office was preparing contingency plans for a potential war between Rwanda and the DRC.
For years, Kagame has denied that Rwandan troops interfered in the DRC or supported M23 rebels, despite multiple UN reports establishing a link between his government and the rebel group.
This week, Lammy told MPs:
“We know that M23 rebels could not have taken Goma without material support from Rwanda Defence Forces.”
With increasing global scrutiny, Rwanda faces mounting pressure to reconsider its involvement in the DRC, or risk severe diplomatic and financial repercussions.
