Rwanda on Tuesday described as “wrong and counterproductive” the politicization of development cooperation by Germany’s caretaker government.
In a statement, Rwanda’s Foreign Ministry said, “Germany contradicts its own claims of supporting the African-led process to resolve the conflict in eastern DRC by letting the DRC off the hook for numerous violations, which only reinforces its belligerent posture and needlessly prolongs the conflict.”
“For a country which prides itself on taking seriously the warning signs of ethnic extremism, Germany shows an utter lack of courage by ignoring the threat posed by DRC-backed FDLR genocidal militias to Rwanda, as well as to Congolese Tutsi communities in eastern DRC,” it said.
“Countries like Germany that bear a historical responsibility for the recurring instability in this region should know better than to apply one-sided, coercive measures. Rwanda will continue to protect its national security while remaining fully engaged in the ongoing regional peace process,” the Rwandan diplomacy added.
The German government outlined several punitive measures against Rwanda, saying that it was against Rwanda’s support for the M23, – a rebel group that has captured swathes of eastern DRC. Rwanda denies providing arms and troops to M23 and says its forces are acting in self-defence against the Congolese army and groups hostile to Kigali.
Acting in consultation with its partners, Germany will further restrict the scope of its bilateral cooperation with Rwanda. In particular, Germany will suspend new financial commitments, review existing cooperation with the Rwandan government in the field of development cooperation, suspend high-level participation in development cooperation events organised by the Rwandan government and, together with its partners, will seek an appropriate response in the case of multilateral programmes.
The M23 group has intensified its territorial control in eastern Congo since December, seizing the provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu. (End)