DRC protesters in Brussels demand EU action over Rwanda conflict
Key Takeaways
- Congolese diaspora groups marched to the European Parliament demanding EU sanctions on Rwanda.
- Protesters accused Western governments of benefiting from Congo’s mineral wealth amid the conflict.
- The demonstration came despite a US-brokered ceasefire agreement signed in December 2025.
Congolese demonstrators call for sanctions on Rwanda and accuse Europe of enabling violence in eastern Congo
Congolese diaspora groups and activists held a protest in Brussels on Monday, accusing the European Union of failing to act over the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The protesters, in their hundreds, marched through the Belgian capital toward the European Parliament, carrying Congolese flags and placards demanding sanctions against Rwanda.
Demonstrators said the gathering was intended to challenge what they described as misleading accounts of the conflict and to draw attention to the suffering of civilians affected by the violence.
“We are tired of this falsification of history. These young people have gathered in Brussels today to send a single message: no political parties, no biases - we defend the Congo,” one protester said during the march.
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Some protesters accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebel movement, which has been active in eastern DRC for years. They also criticised European governments for maintaining relations with Kigali despite the ongoing crisis.
“We are here in the European Union today to ask Europe to stop being an accomplice, to stop supporting Paul Kagame's regime, which is committing murder in the Congo. We are calling for sanctions. We want the Rwandan regime to be condemned,” another demonstrator said.
Others claimed that the conflict is linked to competition over Congo’s mineral resources and accused Western countries of backing Rwanda for economic interests.
“We are being invaded by Rwanda, which is funded by the European Union and the Americans,” a protester alleged, adding that the goal was to seize land and mineral resources in the DRC.
The demonstration came months after a ceasefire agreement and economic arrangement brokered by the United States in December 2025.
Kinshasa has repeatedly accused Rwanda of providing support to the M23 group, while Rwandan authorities continue to reject the allegations.
On March 2, the US Treasury Department announced sanctions against the Rwandan Defence Force and four senior commanders. US authorities accused them of violating the Washington Accords by continuing to support M23 operations, including the capture of Uvira in eastern DRC in December.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
