Washington Imposes Sanctions on Rwandan Defense Ministry and Financial Institution to Support M23

Washington, Oct 28 (KUNA) -- The United States announced on Wednesday the imposition of sanctions on Rwanda’s Ministry of Defense and a financial institution to support the armed rebel group March 23 Movement (M23) and its political wing, the Congo River Alliance. The U.S. Department of the Treasury said in a statement that the sanctions, imposed by its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), targeted the ministry alongside Zigama Credit, a Rwandan financial institution accused of “playing a key role in facilitating Rwanda’s support for M23.”

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement that the sanctions imposed today “fulfill the commitment of President Donald Trump to hold Rwanda accountable for its obligations under the Washington Peace and Prosperity Agreements, which were reached through U.S. mediation and signed by the presidents of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda on December 4, 2025.” He stressed that “Rwanda must cease supporting M23 and withdraw its forces from eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.”

The Treasury statement confirmed that the Rwandan Ministry of Defense “serves as the organizational umbrella for Rwanda’s security apparatus, including the Rwanda Defence Forces,” which have been under OFAC sanctions since last March. Regarding Zigama, the U.S. Treasury said it “operates on behalf of Rwanda’s security apparatus” and accused it of “facilitating payments to entities in China and other countries in exchange for weapons, ammunition, and other military equipment for the Rwanda Defence Forces, as well as facilitating the payment of travel and accommodation costs for Rwanda Defence Forces personnel” during training activities.

In a separate statement, the U.S. Department of State, through spokesperson Tommy Pigott, said that the Rwandan Ministry of Defense’s support for M23 constitutes “a violation of Rwanda’s commitments” under the Washington agreements and “undermines their goals of achieving peace and prosperity.” It stressed that “armed groups or their state sponsors must not benefit from the natural resources of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.” It noted that “civilians are facing practices such as forced labor, hazardous working conditions, and illegal taxation in gold and coltan mining areas under the control of M23, including the Rubaya area in North Kivu Province (located in the north of the country).” It urged Washington’s partners and the private sector to “carefully scrutinize their supply chains.” It also called on “all parties to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” emphasizing that the United States “will use all available tools to hold accountable those who prolong this conflict.” (End) R.S.R. / M.M.J.