The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has accused Rwanda of illegally occupying its territory and attempting to orchestrate regime change, escalating tensions in the already volatile Great Lakes region. Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, DRC’s foreign minister, made the accusations in an interview with the BBC, citing decades of impunity and international inaction against Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
The allegations come in the wake of the recent advance by the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, who have captured the eastern Congolese city of Goma. The rebel group has threatened to continue its offensive toward Kinshasa, the DRC’s capital, which lies 2,600 km (1,600 miles) away. The fall of Goma has deepened the humanitarian crisis in North Kivu province, where the conflict has displaced over 400,000 people since the start of 2025, according to the UN.
Rwanda has strongly denied the accusations. Government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo refuted claims of occupation and stated that Rwandan troops were deployed only to secure the country’s borders and prevent the conflict from spilling into its territory. “We’re not interested in war, annexation, or regime change,” Makolo asserted, accusing the DRC of failing to control its own territory.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC), a regional bloc of 16 nations, has deployed peacekeeping troops to combat armed groups like the M23 and stabilize the resource-rich region. However, the mission has come at a cost, with sixteen soldiers from southern African nations killed in recent clashes around Goma.
In a war of words with South African officials, Rwandan President Kagame criticized the SADC intervention, stating that their forces were “not a peacekeeping force” and had “no place” in the conflict. South Africa, a key player in the mission, has pledged continued military support to the DRC.
Meanwhile, humanitarian conditions in eastern DRC continue to deteriorate. The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that people in Goma are facing severe shortages of food, clean water, and medical supplies due to disruptions in supply chains.
As the conflict escalates, Uganda has announced plans to bolster its border security with the DRC, fearing spillover violence. The UN has warned that if the situation continues unchecked, it could evolve into a full-scale regional war.
With calls for sanctions against Rwanda and the suspension of its troops from UN peacekeeping missions, international pressure is mounting for a resolution. However, with both sides refusing to back down, peace in the Great Lakes region remains elusive.
