Judith Suminwa Confronts Kagame at AU Summit, Exposes Rwanda’s War Motives

On Saturday, February 15, 2025, during an African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Prime Minister Judith Suminwa rejected Rwanda's claim that the FDLR armed group is a major threat to its security. She argued that this claim is often used as an excuse for Rwanda’s military actions in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

"When we examine Rwanda’s reasons for invading the DRC, they always mention the FDLR and the need to protect minorities. But we should ask an important question: If the FDLR is truly a serious danger to Rwanda, why did President Paul Kagame refuse to attend the Luanda Summit on December 15, 2024?" Suminwa asked.

She explained that the Luanda Summit was supposed to focus on eliminating the FDLR, making it the perfect opportunity for Rwanda to get the security guarantees it says it needs. However, Kagame’s absence showed that Rwanda’s claims might not be genuine.

Suminwa then challenged Rwanda’s argument further:"In the past 30 years, how many times have the FDLR attacked Rwanda? How many villages have they destroyed, and how many Rwandan civilians have been killed or forced to flee? And regarding the protection of minorities, how does allowing foreign military forces to occupy, loot, and kill in the DRC protect anyone?"

She also pointed out that the DRC shares communities with nine neighboring countries, including Angola, the Central African Republic, and Congo-Brazzaville, yet only Rwanda uses this as a reason for war.

"If Rwanda truly sees the FDLR as a major threat, why hasn’t it eliminated them after years of occupying areas where it claims they operate?" she questioned.

She also wondered why Rwanda and its M23 allies still claim the FDLR is a danger when they already control the territories where the group is based.

"More importantly, how does stealing Congo’s resources solve the problem of the FDLR or protect minorities?" she asked.

Suminwa pointed to findings by UN experts, stating that Rwanda illegally mines more than 150 tonnes of coltan every month from Rubaya in eastern DRC and sells it as if it came from another country.

"This is not about security. It is not about fighting a threat. It is a criminal system designed to create instability while stealing resources," she explained.

She concluded by stating that the war is not for Rwanda’s protection but for its economic benefit. She urged the AU to recognize the real reason behind Rwanda’s actions, calling them a strategy for gaining power and wealth under false claims of security concerns.