Rwanda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Martin Ngoga, strongly challenged the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) envoy, Zénon Mukongo Ngay, after the latter attempted to portray his country as more democratic than Rwanda.
The exchange took place on September 29, 2025, during a meeting of the UN Security Council, where both Rwanda and the DRC were given the floor to comment on the operations of the UN peacekeeping mission in Congo (MONUSCO).
Ngoga Points to DRC’s Ties With FDLR
Ambassador Ngoga criticized the continued failure of MONUSCO and Congolese forces to dismantle the FDLR, a genocidal militia posing a grave threat to Rwanda and the wider region. He highlighted that, instead of neutralizing the group, the DRC government has allowed the FDLR to control territories, provided them with weapons, and collaborated with them in combat against the M23 rebels—despite knowing the FDLR’s genocidal agenda against Rwanda.
DRC Envoy’s Democracy Claim
In response, Ambassador Mukongo argued that the FDLR were Rwandan nationals and suggested that the Government of Rwanda should engage in dialogue with them, framing such an approach as a democratic process. “In Congo, we talk to those who oppose the government—we have democracy. Where is Rwanda’s democracy? Show me one opposition figure who is free in Rwanda. FDLR are Rwandans. If Rwanda wants peace with them, why not talk as Rwandans?” Mukongo said.
Ngoga’s Strong Rebuttal
Ambassador Ngoga dismissed the claim, stressing that while the FDLR may be Rwandan, they were perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and continue to harbor genocidal ideology and intentions. He accused the DRC of ignoring these crimes while openly supporting the group.
He added that the DRC’s self-proclaimed democracy is deeply questionable given the crises it faces: “If the democracy my brother is referring to produces the chaos we see in the DRC, then that is not the democracy Rwanda aspires to.”
Unimplemented Peace Agreement
Rwanda and the DRC signed a peace agreement on June 27, 2025, which included provisions to dismantle the FDLR. Three months later, however, the DRC government has yet to take any concrete steps toward implementing those commitments.
Author: Justinmind HARERIMANA
