By Dr. Theogene Rudasingwa
Former Chief of Staff to the President of Rwanda and Former Rwandan Ambassador to the United States
Photos: YouTube Screenshots
After decades of bloodshed, displacement, and broken promises, the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) remains a theater of human suffering. Millions have died or been uprooted by war. And yet, one truth remains persistently ignored: there can be no peace in Congo without justice and political reform in Rwanda.
That’s why I welcome the renewed engagement of the United States, particularly under President Trump’s recalibrated Africa strategy, to resolve this crisis. But if this is to be more than another well-intentioned effort that collapses under its illusions, Washington must confront an uncomfortable but undeniable fact: General Paul Kagame of Rwanda is not a partner for peace. He is one of the region’s primary arsonists.
The U.S. must now lead with bold realism. That begins with recognizing the pattern: every major peace process involving Rwanda over the past three decades—from the 1993 Arusha Agreement to the Luanda and Nairobi initiatives—has failed. And nearly every time, the common denominator is Kagame’s duplicity.
I know this not as a distant observer but as someone who was once on the inside. I served as Rwanda’s ambassador to Washington and later as Chief of Staff to President Kagame. I have since come to terms with my role in a system that betrayed its people’s hopes and replaced one tyranny with another. Today, I write as an exile, a survivor, and a witness.
The Arusha Peace Agreement, signed to end Rwanda’s civil war, was not honored by Kagame. Instead, he resumed war, precipitated the assassination of President Habyarimana, and used the ensuing genocide to seize unchecked power. Since then, he has continued to use military force and propaganda to expand Rwanda’s reach into Congo, cloaking plunder and violence under the pretext of security.
The United States must not fall for this again. As President Ronald Reagan once said of dealing with untrustworthy adversaries: “Trust, but verify.” Kagame’s promises should be tested, not taken at face value. Each should come with independently monitored benchmarks and consequences for failure.
So how can peace become more than a mirage in the Great Lakes region? It will take more than shuttle diplomacy or a new ceasefire. It requires a five-part strategy rooted in justice, inclusion, and strategic foresight.
First, the U.S. must support a comprehensive intra-Rwandan dialogue—one that includes the government, exiled opposition, civil society, religious leaders, and the diaspora. Rwanda’s repressive internal politics are a root cause of external rebellion and regional instability. As long as dissent is criminalized and thousands of Rwandans are condemned to exile, the flames of conflict will continue to leap across borders.
Second, a durable peace must resolve the long-standing issue of Rwandan refugees and armed groups in Congo, particularly the FDLR. The U.S. should support an internationally guaranteed process that enables voluntary repatriation, fair justice mechanisms, and disarmament and reintegration programs. These steps must replace Kagame’s preferred solution: endless war.
Third, the East African Community (EAC), Southern African Development Community (SADC), and African Union (AU) must be encouraged and equipped to stop acting as echo chambers for Kigali. These regional bodies must demand inclusion, accountability, and implementation, rather than allow Rwanda to dominate regional diplomacy while undermining peace.
Fourth, the United Nations must be more than an expensive bystander. The MONUSCO mission must be recalibrated with a sharper mandate focused on civilian protection, deterring foreign invasions, and supporting a regional accountability mechanism that finally reckons with all actors who have devastated Congo—Kagame’s forces included.
Fifth, the United States should launch a “Trump Plan for the Great Lakes”—a bold foreign policy framework centered on governance, development, and security. Such a plan would:
- Tie aid and military cooperation to measurable political reforms.
- Mobilize U.S. investment in natural resources, infrastructure, education, health, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
- Offer a more value-for-money counterweight to China’s economic dominance and Russia’s growing security presence in Africa.
This isn’t just about morality; it’s about geostrategy. A peaceful, prosperous Great Lakes region benefits America by stabilizing a critical transit and trade corridor between Central Africa and the Indian Ocean, countering extremism, and projecting democratic values in a region long scarred by authoritarianism and exploitation.
The U.S. must no longer mistake Kagame’s polished image for progress. We must not reward chaos with credibility. If peace is to be more than a press release, it must be built on truth and enforced with courage.
The time has come to stop enabling Rwanda’s strongman—and start empowering the people of Central Africa to heal, reconcile, and flourish.
Dr. Theogene Rudasingwa is a former Chief of Staff to the President of Rwanda and former Rwandan Ambassador to the United States. He is the co-founder of the Rwanda Truth Commission and lives in exile in the United States.
