Tshisekedi and Minister Kayikwamba Clash Over Rwanda Policy at EU-AU Summit

A diplomatic rift has emerged within the Congolese leadership after Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner appeared to contradict President Félix Tshisekedi’s call for reconciliation with Rwanda during the European Union-African Union Global Gateway Summit held on October 9, 2025, in Brussels.

During his address, President Tshisekedi declared that he had chosen dialogue over sanctions in dealing with Rwanda, signaling a softer tone in a relationship marked by years of mutual accusations over the conflict in eastern DRC.

“I had planned to request sanctions, but I decided to postpone them, waiting for President Kagame’s response,” Tshisekedi said, emphasizing his desire for “peaceful coexistence” between Kinshasa and Kigali.

He added that reconciliation would only be possible if Rwandan President Paul Kagame urged the M23 rebel movement to cease hostilities in North Kivu. Kigali has consistently denied any support for the rebel group, which remains active near the Congolese border.

Shortly after the summit, Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner gave an interview to EUobserver, where she strongly criticized Rwanda, accusing it of backing the M23 and expressing “deep disappointment” over the European Union’s failure to impose sanctions on Kigali.

Her remarks appeared to directly contradict President Tshisekedi’s reconciliatory message, sparking confusion over the DRC government’s official position.

In response, Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ambassador Olivier Nduhungirehe, condemned Kayikwamba’s comments, calling them inconsistent with her president’s tone in Brussels.

“Minister Kayikwamba’s statements contradict President Tshisekedi’s call for reconciliation,” Nduhungirehe said. “They show that what Kinshasa calls ‘peace efforts’ are nothing more than a political performance for the media.”

He further noted that President Kagame had recently signed, alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, a €95 million partnership agreement to support BioNTech’s vaccine manufacturing plant in Kigali.

According to Nduhungirehe, vaccines produced at the facility will benefit several African countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which continues to face multiple epidemic threats.