President Paul Kagame has said that Burundians, who historically shared close ties with Rwandans, now they have chosen to realign themselves with Congolese identity—a shift he argues has contributed to the continued instability in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Speaking during the 20th National Dialogue Council (Umushyikirano), which opened on Thursday, President Kagame reiterated that Rwanda’s core concern regarding the DRC lies with the presence of the FDLR militia.

He firmly rejected accusations that Rwanda is responsible for Congo’s internal problems or that it is exploiting Congolese mineral resources.

“For years—indeed for decades—we have dealt with security challenges involving our neighbors in Congo, and at times those to the south in Burundi,” Kagame said.

“Historically, Rwandans and Burundians were considered twins—closely related peoples. But Burundians chose to say, ‘We no longer want to be twins with you; we want to be twins with Congolese instead.’ I have no issue with that choice. What becomes problematic is when such identity politics are mixed with hatred and exclusion.”

President Kagame stressed that the war in eastern Congo neither began in Rwanda nor was instigated by Rwanda.

“Please write it down, investigate it, and follow the facts,” he said. “This war originated elsewhere. It did not come from Rwanda. It started within Congo and from other sources. How they manage their internal affairs is not Rwanda’s responsibility.”

Addressing allegations that Rwanda is involved in mineral exploitation in the DRC, Kagame dismissed them outright. He said Rwanda would be “100 times richer” if it were plundering Congo’s resources.

“Let Rwanda’s mineral traders tell us what percentage of minerals they actually source from Congo,” he challenged.
Alice Uwase, the Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board (RMB), supported the President’s position, saying Rwanda does not depend on Congolese minerals for its development.

“Our own hills are rich in minerals,” she said. “What we need is to add value—invest in processing, adopt a long-term vision, and stop exporting raw, unprocessed minerals.”

President Kagame also criticized international actors who, he said, lecture Rwanda while downplaying the threat posed by the FDLR and ignoring hostile rhetoric from Congolese leaders.

He argued that those accusing Rwanda of destabilizing Congo are often the same actors who created the conditions for insecurity. Rwanda’s actions, he said, are purely defensive, aimed at protecting the country from threats posed by the FDLR and failures of the Congolese state.

The Umushyikirano dialogue brought together government officials, private sector representatives, and civil society organizations. Prime Minister Dr. Justin Nsengiyumva said the forum provided an opportunity to assess Rwanda’s development progress.

He noted that the previous National Dialogue adopted 13 resolutions, translated into 41 actions—many focused on reforming the Business Development Fund (BDF) to improve youth access to financing for small and medium enterprises. He said these reforms are expected to be completed soon.

Looking ahead, Dr. Nsengiyumva said Rwanda aims for an average annual income of nearly USD 1,400 per citizen by 2029—equivalent to about two million Rwandan francs. This optimism, he explained, is based on plans to create more than 250,000 non-agricultural jobs each year through 2029.

By that same year, he added, Rwandans are expected to be living in improved housing, having relocated from high-risk and informal settlements—citing the Mpazi model neighborhood in Kigali’s Nyarugenge District as a key example.