Finally, the West has decided to increase pressure on Paul Kagame, Rwanda’s president, to pull out of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This is long overdue.
Last week, European and American governments announced that they would be cutting off all aid to Rwanda for its role in destabilising its neighbour, the DRC. For years, Rwanda has been supporting the M23 rebels who now control huge swathes of the eastern part of the DRC.
Rwanda has denied the claims. Yet, international observers, including the UN, have produced compelling evidence of Rwanda’s support to the rebels. This support has come in the form of sophisticated military hardware and troops on the ground.
France, Germany, the UK, Canada and the US have all now cut aid to Rwanda. The UK government, which had pledged to send thousands of refugees to Rwanda, has announced it would not be paying the balance of the resettlement funds in protest at Kigali’s role in the DRC.
This move is welcome and deserves to be applauded.
Despite its economic success and progress, Rwanda, which is not blessed with mineral wealth like its neighbour, relies on donor support. So, the withdrawal of this aid is likely to focus Kigali’s mind as its public coffers take strain.
Now that pressure is on, diplomacy must be intensified. A ceasefire should be implemented at once. Simultaneously, a dialogue among the Congolese, including the rebels, must be organised with the support of the international community.
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