DRC: Kinshasa demands recognition of a “genocide” by Rwanda

Rwanda judged “stupid” this Wednesday, September 10, 2025 the campaign led by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to the UN, aimed at recognizing an alleged “genocide” of the Congolese in the east of the country by Kigali and its allies.

Tuesday, September 9, the DRC denounced ” massive and systematic crimes ” assigned “In Rwanda and its auxury”. The Congolese Minister for Human Rights, Samuel Mbemba, regretted in Geneva that the word “genocide” was not daring publicly.

Kigali reacts strongly

Olivier Nduhungirehe, Rwandan Minister for Foreign Affairs, described this approach as ” stupid “:: “A genocide against whom? Non -Tutsi ethnic groups? All? That we would try to destroy as such? You understand how absurd this proposal is ”he told AFP.

The Rwandan ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Urujeni Bakuramutsa, also denounced the accusations of genocide, calling them “red line”.

UN surveys and assessment of violence

A UN mission published on September 5 reported possible war crimes and crimes against humanity “Committed by all parties”including the M23 supported by Rwanda and the Congolese army or its affiliates.

Samuel Mbemba cited the July massacres in Rutshuru, where nearly 300 civilians were killed. Human Rights Watch reported that the M23 would have executed more than 140 civilians in 14 villages near the Virunga National Park, mainly Hutu.

Since January, clashes have caused thousands of deaths and hundreds of thousands of displaced according to the UN.

Historical context

Tensions in eastern DRC go back to the genocide of the Tutsi in Rwanda in 1994, which left around 800,000 dead, mainly Tutsi and moderate Hutu. Hundreds of thousands of Hutu, including some genocidaires, fled in the DRC and created the Liberation Democratic Forces of Rwanda (FDLR), targeted since by Kigali.

The M23, supported by Rwanda, took control of Goma in January and Bukavu in February 2025, without Kigali ever recognized his presence on Congolese soil.