HUNDREDS of Congolese nationals gathered outside the European Union (EU) offices in South Africa on Tuesday to demand sanctions against Rwanda, following allegations that Kigali is supporting M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The DRC government has accused Rwanda of backing M23, a rebel group that recently seized the major city of Goma in a rapid military offensive. While fighting in Goma—a city of over one million people—has temporarily ceased, violent clashes have spread to South Kivu, worsening the region’s already dire humanitarian crisis.
Protests outside EU embassy in Pretoria
Around 2,000 Congolese protesters gathered outside the EU embassy in Pretoria, wearing the blue, yellow, and red colours of the DRC flag.
The demonstrators waved placards reading ‘Free Congo’, while also expressing gratitude to the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and the Congolese military for their efforts to restore stability in eastern Congo.
One of the protesters, Elie Kalonji Ikasereka, a 49-year-old businessman living in South Africa for two decades, drew parallels between the situation in Ukraine and the DRC conflict:
‘We are asking the European Union to apply the same measures to Rwanda and its President Paul Kagame that were applied to Russia. We want sanctions.’
Protesters denounce EU-Rwanda minerals deal
One of the central grievances raised by the protesters was a minerals trade deal between the EU and Rwanda, which they claim fuels the ongoing conflict and facilitates the looting of DRC’s natural resources.
Signed in February 2023, the agreement grants the EU access to Rwanda’s raw materials, including: tin, tungsten, gold, niobium and rare earth elements.
The demonstrators accused the EU of indirectly benefiting from Congo’s mineral wealth, which is allegedly smuggled through Rwanda.
‘If the EU needs something from Congo, it should come in through the main gate. It should stop buying minerals through Rwanda,’ said 50-year-old protester Monique Mbiya Nkolombo.
The Europe-Central Africa Network (EurAC)—a coalition of 30 European NGOs, including Secours Catholique and Terre Solidaire—also condemned the EU-Rwanda minerals deal, stating that it has escalated regional tensions.
‘Congolese are suffering’ amid prolonged conflict
For decades, eastern DRC has been plagued by armed groups fighting for control over lucrative mineral deposits, including coltan, a key component in smartphones and laptops.
‘There is no voice that is threatening Kagame in a pragmatic way. We Congolese are suffering,’ said Congolese activist Chriss Zas’s, 32.
While Rwanda denies military involvement with M23, it has accused the DRC of supporting the FDLR, an armed group composed of Hutu militants who fled Rwanda after the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis.
M23 declares ceasefire as tensions rise
Amid rising tensions, M23 rebels on Tuesday declared a humanitarian ceasefire ahead of an expected crisis meeting between DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
Despite the ceasefire, concerns remain over whether diplomatic efforts will lead to a resolution, or if violence in eastern DRC will persist.
The EU has not yet responded to the protesters’ demands, but as pressure mounts, calls for tighter sanctions on Rwanda and stricter oversight of mineral trade agreements are likely to intensify.
With international scrutiny growing, will the EU address concerns over its mineral deals, or will geopolitical interests continue to take precedence over peace efforts in the DRC?
