Rdc takes Rwanda to international court over eastern conflict

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has formally lodged a case against Rwanda at the International Court of Justice, accusing Kigali of backing armed groups, particularly the AFC-M23, in the country’s volatile eastern region.

This legal move comes almost exactly one year after both nations signed a peace accord in Washington, D.C., aimed at ending hostilities in eastern DRC. Despite the agreement, fighting between the Congolese army and the Rwanda-backed AFC-M23 rebellion continues unabated.

The United States has also imposed sanctions on several Rwandan officials allegedly involved in the illicit trade of minerals sourced from rebel-held areas.

Peace on paper, war on the ground

Kinshasa and Kigali had pledged to collaborate on restoring stability in eastern DRC, where the AFC-M23 has occupied vast swaths of territory for over a year. Yet on the ground, little has changed.

“We expected things to improve after the accord—banks reopening, airports resuming operations. Instead, we continue to endure the same suffering,” said a resident of Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province.

Another local questioned the credibility of international mediators: “We wonder if the United States still holds the influence it once had. Why can’t the policies applied at home be enforced against our neighbors who attack us here in the DRC?”

A third added, “Nothing works. When they meet, they show good intentions, but on the ground, the war goes on.”

Kigali faces sanctions and legal pressure

The DRC accuses Rwanda of supporting armed groups responsible for severe human rights violations in its eastern territories for nearly three decades. The ICJ filing demands reparations for victims and a formal acknowledgment of Kigali’s responsibility.

Meanwhile, the United States has sanctioned Rwanda’s Gasabo Gold refinery, its executives, and several mining companies implicated in trafficking minerals from AFC-M23-controlled zones in eastern DRC. Washington alleges this trade finances the rebellion.

However, some analysts doubt the effectiveness of these measures. “The general perception is that these sanctions are insufficient to alter the strategic calculus of those involved. As long as the cost of confrontation remains lower than the cost of concession, actors will maintain a status quo that benefits them,” said Yvon Muya, a conflict studies expert at Saint Paul University in Ottawa, Canada.

Preparing for a new escalation

Peace remains elusive, with near-daily exchanges of gunfire in several areas. Professor Bob Kabamba of the University of Liège in Belgium believes both sides are gearing up for renewed conflict.

“This is a period where each party is reorganizing, rearming, and preparing for what could be the final battle—to see whether the government can reclaim rebel-held territories, or whether the rebellion can advance toward Katanga and destabilize the Kinshasa regime,” he explained.

For over a year, the AFC-M23 has occupied Goma, Bukavu, and numerous other towns in North and South Kivu provinces. Ongoing clashes continue to worsen the humanitarian crisis for thousands of displaced people.