New York – Rwanda has told the United Nations Security Council that no lasting peace can be achieved in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo without dismantling the FDLR, a militia Ambassador describes as a genocidal terrorist organization whose ideology remains rooted in the legacy of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Speaking before the Council on March 26, 2026, Rwanda’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Martin Ngoga, clarified that the FDLR is not simply another armed faction operating in the region, but a force built on extremist ideology that continues to threaten both Rwanda’s security and regional stability.
“FDLR is not an ordinary armed group,” Ngoga told the Council. “It is a genocidal force created by remnants of those who carried out the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, and its ideology has not changed.”
His remarks came during a Security Council session on the worsening security situation in eastern DRC, chaired by Massad Boulos. The session unfolded against the backdrop of ongoing diplomatic efforts involving the United States, Qatar, Rwanda, and the DRC, including the Washington peace framework and the Doha dialogue process. Those talks have centered on military de-escalation, non-state armed groups, and regional stabilization.
Rwanda Pushes Root-Cause Narrative
Ngoga told the Council that Rwanda supports a political settlement for eastern Congo, but insisted that any serious peace effort must confront the root causes of the conflict rather than rely on temporary arrangements.
According to Rwanda’s position, the conflict in eastern DRC is not caused by Rwanda itself, but by a long-standing security threat posed by the FDLR and the ideology it continues to spread across the Great Lakes region.
He said that, more than three decades after the genocide in Rwanda, the international community should no longer pretend there is uncertainty about what the FDLR represents.
“Resolving the FDLR problem is essential in the search for a credible and lasting solution to the conflict in eastern DRC,” Ngoga said. “This group must be eradicated together with its ideology and all the channels through which it is sustained, including hate speech.”
For Rwanda, the issue is not merely military. It is historical, political, and existential. Rwanda has long argued that any peace initiative that ignores the FDLR effectively leaves the core danger untouched.
Doha and Washington Peace Tracks Highlighted
Rwanda also used the UN platform to reinforce its support for current diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing tensions in the region.
Ngoga said the Doha talks provide an important opening for addressing internal Congolese political and security grievances, while the Washington agreements must now move from paper to implementation. Public reporting on the Washington and Doha tracks shows they were designed to combine security commitments, political dialogue, and economic cooperation, although implementation remains contested.
“Progress in the Doha talks, aligned with implementation of the Washington agreements, will be essential in achieving a sustainable ceasefire and a political understanding,” he said.
The Rwandan envoy also said these negotiations should not be limited to military issues alone. He mentioned they should address the suffering of civilians, the protection of vulnerable communities, and the long-standing refugee crisis that has left hundreds of thousands displaced for decades.
Security Concerns and Civilian Attacks
Ngoga further raised concern over recent drone and air attacks in populated areas of eastern Congo, saying civilians have paid the price of continued instability.
He pointed to incidents in and around Goma and Minembwe, where he said attacks had damaged infrastructure, destroyed homes, and killed civilians, including humanitarian workers.
His intervention underscored Rwanda’s broader message that peace enforcement cannot be selective and that all parties should be held equally accountable under existing agreements.
Ambassador Martin Ngoga said that the FDLR is not simply another armed faction.
That argument aligns with Rwanda’s repeated insistence that any regional settlement must include concrete action against the FDLR before Rwanda is expected to lift defensive security measures near its border with the DRC. Recent reporting shows that U.S.-backed mediation has also included language tied to the neutralization of the FDLR and reciprocal security obligations.
A Test for Regional Peace
The debate at the UN comes at a time when eastern Congo remains one of Africa’s most fragile and militarized conflict zones, with diplomacy advancing unevenly even as armed groups remain active on the ground.
For Rwanda, the message delivered at the United Nations was clear: there can be no durable peace in eastern DRC while the FDLR remains intact.
The Rwanda’s position is that military de-escalation, refugee return, political dialogue, and regional cooperation are all necessary—but none of them can succeed if the ideology and operational structures of the FDLR are allowed to survive. Many international experts and organizations believe that it is necessary to consider giving independence to east DRC like South Soudan did it.
As pressure builds on all parties to honor the latest peace commitments, the central question remains whether the region’s diplomatic momentum will finally translate into meaningful security and justice for civilians who have lived through decades of war.
