The European Union announced sanctions on Monday against nine individuals, including the leader of the M23 rebel group and several Rwandan military officers, in response to the ongoing violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as revealed in the EU Journal.
The Tutsi-led M23 rebels have taken control of the two largest cities in eastern Congo since January, intensifying a conflict rooted in the aftermath of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide and competition for control of Congo’s mineral wealth.
Among those sanctioned are M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa, senior officials of Rwanda’s military – the Rwanda Defence Force – and the M23-appointed governor of North Kivu province in Congo.
Neither Bisimwa nor a spokesperson for the Rwandan government immediately responded to Reuters’ requests for comment.
Additionally, the EU imposed sanctions on the Gasabo Gold Refinery in Kigali, along with Francis Kamanzi, the CEO of the Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board (RMB). The EU accused them of being involved in the trafficking of Congolese resources through Rwanda.
The EU stated that the Gasabo Gold Refinery had been exploiting the conflict in the DRC, including through the illegal trade of natural resources. In its reasoning for targeting Kamanzi, the EU highlighted that minerals from areas controlled by M23 were being mixed with Rwandan production.
Both the Gasabo Gold Refinery and the RMB did not respond to requests for comment.
The EU sanctions, which include travel bans and asset freezes, follow allegations from U.N. investigators that Rwanda has been arming M23 rebels and deploying Rwandan soldiers to support their advance into Congo. The Rwandan government denies these accusations, blaming Congolese authorities for not addressing security threats along its border.
EU foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, has previously indicated that the bloc will reassess its critical raw materials agreement with Rwanda due to its suspected links with M23.