The Democratic Republic of Congo has filed a lawsuit at the International Court of Justice against Rwanda, accusing it of backing armed groups—especially the AFC-M23 rebellion—in the country’s eastern region.
This legal action comes on the eve of the one-year anniversary of the Washington peace accord signed between Kinshasa and Kigali on June 27, 2025. That agreement aimed to end the conflict in eastern DRC, yet fighting between the Congolese army and the Rwanda-backed AFC-M23 rebels has not ceased.
Meanwhile, the United States has imposed sanctions on several Rwandan officials allegedly involved in the illegal trade of minerals mined in rebel-held areas.
A peace signed on paper, absent on the ground
Kinshasa and Kigali had pledged to cooperate to restore stability in eastern DRC, where AFC-M23 rebels have occupied vast swaths of Congolese territory for over a year. However, no tangible progress has been observed on the ground.
“We expected things to improve after the signing—banks reopening, airports resuming operations. Unfortunately, we continue to live the same misery,” lamented a resident of Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province.
“We wonder if the credibility that the United States once had still stands. Why can the policies applied there not be applied to our neighbours who are attacking us here in DRC?” questioned another local. A third added, “Nothing works so far. When they meet, they show good intentions, but on the ground the war goes on.”
Kigali under the spotlight of sanctions and justice
DRC accuses Rwanda of supporting, for roughly three decades, armed groups that have committed severe human rights violations in its eastern provinces. Kinshasa has now taken the matter to the International Court of Justice, demanding reparations for victims and a formal acknowledgment of Kigali’s responsibility.
The United States has also slapped sanctions on Rwanda’s Gasabo Gold refinery, its executives, and several mining companies accused of trafficking minerals from areas controlled by the AFC-M23 in eastern DRC. Washington says this trade funds the rebellion. However, some analysts question the effectiveness of these measures.
“The general perception is that these sanctions are not enough to alter the strategic calculations of the actors involved. As long as the cost of confrontation remains lower than the cost of concession, they will maintain a status quo that works in their favour,” said Yvon Muya, a conflict studies expert at Saint Paul University in Ottawa, Canada.
Towards a new military escalation
Peace remains elusive, with nearly daily exchanges of gunfire in several zones. Professor Bob Kabamba of the University of Liège in Belgium believes both sides are actually preparing for another major clash.
“During this period, each party is trying to reorganise, rearm and get ready for what could be called the final battle—to see whether the government will manage to reclaim the territories seized by the rebellion, or whether the rebels will push towards Katanga and threaten the Kinshasa regime,” he explained.
For over a year, AFC-M23 rebels have held the cities of Goma and Bukavu, along with many other localities in North and South Kivu. Fighting continues in the region, worsening the humanitarian plight of hundreds of thousands of displaced people.
