Rwanda has issued a sharp warning against what it calls the Democratic Republic of Congo’s militarization of the region, accusing Kinshasa of hiring foreign mercenaries from the controversial U.S. private military company Blackwater threatening the fragile peace process in eastern DRC.
Speaking during the Rwanda Convention 2025 in Texas, Rwanda’s Foreign Affairs Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe publicly accused the DRC government of undermining diplomatic peace efforts by introducing foreign mercenaries into the already volatile eastern Congo conflict zone. He claimed these contractors were deployed through Blackwater, a private U.S. military firm with a long and controversial history of involvement in global conflicts.
“As we were negotiating in Washington and even in Rwanda, there was still militarization on the ground with new weapons, new attack drones, new armored vehicles, and new mercenaries,” Nduhungirehe told members of the Rwandan diaspora.
He pointed to past examples, including Romanian mercenaries reportedly evacuated through Kigali, and alleged that Colombian nationals are now on the ground, contracted by Blackwater to support Congolese government forces.
The remarks come amid growing international concern over escalating tensions in eastern DRC, where Congolese forces have been locked in battles with armed groups, including the M23 rebel movement, which Kinshasa accuses Rwanda of supporting an allegation Kigali denies.
While Blackwater has not issued a public statement in response, the mention of its name by a senior Rwandan official has reignited debate over the role of private military contractors in Africa and the potential consequences for peace and sovereignty.
The accusations come as the peace framework brokered by Washington between Rwanda and the DRC teeters on the edge. With reports of increasing drone strikes, cross-border military activity, and foreign intervention, diplomats fear the situation could spiral into a broader regional conflict if left unchecked.
“This is something we should keep on following,” Nduhungirehe said, hinting at possible international inquiries or further disclosures in the coming weeks.
Security analysts say the DRC’s reliance on private foreign forces could complicate already strained relations with its neighbors, particularly Rwanda and Uganda, and could undermine regional bodies such as the East African Community (EAC) and the African Union.
As tensions rise, calls for renewed dialogue and independent verification of troop deployments are growing louder, with many observers warning that the involvement of private military firms risks turning the Great Lakes region into a proxy battlefield.
With trust between Kigali and Kinshasa continuing to erode, regional stability may now hinge on swift diplomatic mediation and increased international scrutiny of all foreign actors operating within the DRC’s borders.
