Why Paul Kagame Has Ignored US Sanctions and UN Resolution 2773 Between February 2025 and March 2026, the United States Treasury imposed two rounds of sanctions directly targeting Rwanda's war machine in eastern Congo: first James Kabarebe, Rwanda's Minister of State and the regime's principal liaison to M23, then the Rwanda Defence Force as an entity alongside four of its senior commanders. Every sanctioned individual remained operational. The RDF did not leave. This analysis examines why Washington's measures have failed to alter Rwanda's conduct — and why, in Kagame's own words, they are dismissed as the work of the 'just foolish'. Introduction: Sanctions Without Consequence Washington's sanctions campaign against Rwanda's military operation in eastern Congo unfolded in two distinct rounds. The first came on 20 February 2025, when the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Contro...
Africa Realities is a space for debate, analysis, and information exchange on East Africa and the Great Lakes. We focus on DRC, alongside Angola, Burundi, Kenya, Uganda, Central African Republic, Rwanda, Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Zambia. We explore political and social realities, offering reliable context on regional challenges and opportunities. Join us for clear, factual insights grounded in the lived experiences shaping these nations.