The United States has slapped sanctions on Rwanda's defence ministry, accusing the East African nation of backing the M23 rebel group in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Washington is turning the screws on Kigali, urging it to pull its troops out and stop supporting the rebels. Fighting has dragged on in the region since early 2025, despite a peace agreement brokered by the US between Rwanda and the DRC.
Reports suggest that Rwanda's defence ministry has sent thousands of troops to aid M23 in eastern DRC. They allegedly provided weapons, equipment, logistics, and training. The M23 has seized control of mineral-rich zones, including gold mines in South Kivu and coltan-rich areas in Rubaya, North Kivu. minerals from these rebel-occupied territories are finding their way into Rwanda's supply chains, with Rwanda exporting more minerals than it actually produces.
Reacting to the sanctions, DRC President Félix Tshisekedi urged the international community to ramp up pressure on Rwanda. He stressed the importance of concrete sanctions to secure lasting peace in the DRC. The DRC foreign ministry welcomed the US decision and called on Rwanda to stick to its commitments under the Washington Accords, respect the UN Charter, and pull its troops out of Congolese soil.
Rwanda, however, denies any support for M23. Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo claimed that Rwanda is ready to fully comply with the Washington Accords, provided the DRC honors its commitments and the mediator ensures that all parties are held accountable. The accords include obligations concerning the dismantling of the DRC-backed FDLR genocidal militia, which Rwanda sees as a security threat.
The US also sanctioned entities serving Rwanda's security services, alleging they facilitated tens of millions of dollars in transactions for M23 and its political wing, helped pay for military equipment for Rwandan forces from China and enabled gold to be transported from rebel-controlled areas to Kigali. The sanctions freeze the assets of designated entities under US jurisdiction and generally block US individuals and businesses from engaging in transactions with them, unless explicitly authorized or exempt.
These actions follow earlier US sanctions against Rwanda's military and four senior commanders in March 2026, as well as sanctions on Gasabo gold refinery and three mining firms accused of smuggling conflict minerals in June 2026. The sanctions aim to bolster the Washington Accords, signed by the Congolese and Rwandan leaders in December 2025 under US mediation.
Pressure is building on Rwanda's global sports partnerships too. Two US senators, Jeff Merkley and Marsha Blackburn, have called on the National Basketball Association (NBA) to reassess its commercial ties with Kigali. In a letter to NBA commissioner Adam Silver, they questioned whether the league's partnership with Rwanda aligns with its public commitment to human rights. The NBA has yet to issue a substantive response to the letter.
Rwanda has been leveraging high-profile sports sponsorships to polish its international image. However, its sponsorship of Arsenal ended in 2026.
Meanwhile, the M23 has joined forces with a new rebel coalition, the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN), led by former Congolese President Joseph Kabila. This coalition aims to topple Tshisekedi's government, further complicating the volatile situation in eastern DRC.
