Rwanda Dismisses Tshisekedi’s Claims of Annexation Ambitions, Cites Corruption in Katanga

Kigali, Rwanda - Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Ambassador Olivier Nduhungirehe, has firmly rejected accusations by Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) President Félix Tshisekedi that Rwanda seeks to annex part of Congolese territory. The remarks come amid escalating rhetoric between the two neighboring nations, whose relations remain tense over ongoing insecurity in eastern DRC.

During a meeting with members of the Congolese diaspora in Egypt on November 2, 2025, President Tshisekedi alleged that Rwanda covets the mineral-rich eastern region of his country, claiming Kigali’s motives are driven by a desire to control its natural resources and fertile land.

In response, Minister Nduhungirehe dismissed the allegations as “baseless and ironic,” turning the accusation back on Tshisekedi himself. “If I have followed the news correctly,” he said on November 3, “it is the Tshisekedi family that wants to ‘keep’ the natural resources of Katanga in its coffers.”

Rwandan officials have repeatedly maintained that their country has no territorial or economic ambitions in the DRC. President Paul Kagame has consistently emphasized that Rwanda’s primary concern is its national security - particularly the threat posed by armed groups operating near its borders.

In a March 2025 address, Kagame underscored that Rwanda’s interest in the DRC’s resources is minimal compared to that of global mining corporations. “If you look at the list of hundreds of companies from China, Europe, America, Canada and others that are involved in Congo’s minerals, Rwanda would come 100th - at the very end,” he said.

The exchange of accusations comes as members of President Tshisekedi’s family face growing scrutiny over alleged involvement in mineral theft and corruption in the Katanga and Lualaba regions - areas that produce a significant share of the world’s copper and cobalt.

Local residents and industry sources have accused the Tshisekedi family, including the president’s brother Christian Tshisekedi, of turning Katanga into a personal “cash cow” by extracting vast mineral wealth without reinvesting in the province.

“Since 2019, Katanga has become the Tshisekedi family’s cash cow,” one Katanga resident told reporters. “They extract wealth from the province, especially Lualaba, but invest nothing back.”

Reports from mining groups indicate that security forces, including members of the Republican Guard, have been deployed to certain mining sites to facilitate illegal extraction and transport of minerals.

In response to these allegations, Katanga’s regional authorities have retained Belgian lawyer Bernard Maingain to initiate legal proceedings against Christian Tshisekedi and his associates in both the DRC and Belgium, where they reportedly hold dual citizenship.

“We plan to file complaints in the DRC and in Belgium,” Maingain said, adding that the case involves “serious crimes of corruption, embezzlement, and the illegal use of funds.”

On October 28, DRC Minister of Justice Guillaume Ngefa announced that the National Commission for Combating Illegal Mining (CNLFM) had completed an investigation implicating several civilians, soldiers, police officers, and foreign nationals in large-scale mineral theft. Ngefa instructed the Prosecutor’s Office to pursue legal action against all those identified, regardless of their rank or nationality.

While the report’s findings have not been made public, it remains unclear whether members of the Tshisekedi family are among those named - a revelation that could have far-reaching political consequences.

The latest exchange between Kinshasa and Kigali reflects deepening mistrust between the two countries, whose strained relations have been marked by mutual accusations over security and resource exploitation.As both governments trade allegations of corruption and aggression, regional observers warn that the escalating war of words could further destabilize the Great Lakes region if diplomacy fails to prevail.