DRC: Rwanda's Security Argument no longer credible
Rwanda, under President Paul Kagame, has consistently framed its involvement in eastern Congo as a defensive posture aimed at neutralising the FDLR. The security concerns Kigali articulates are not new, nor are they entirely fabricated; cross-border militia dynamics have long complicated Great Lakes politics.
However, if Rubaya were placed under structured U.S.-Congolese cooperation, the narrative would shift substantially.
https://africarealities.blogspot.com/2026/02/rwandas-security-argument-under-scrutiny.html
Rubaya Mine Under U.S. Oversight: Why Kigali Would Struggle to Justify Opposition
Rubaya Mine Under U.S. Oversight: Why Kigali Would Struggle to Justify Opposition
The proposed transfer of operational oversight of the Rubaya mine in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to the United States marks a potentially decisive shift in one of Central Africa's most contentious economic and security flashpoints. Located in North Kivu province, the Rubaya site is one of the world's most significant sources of coltan, a mineral essential to global electronics supply chains.
For months, the area has been associated with the presence of armed actors, including the rebel group M23. Rwanda has repeatedly justified its regional posture by pointing to security threats posed by the FDLR, an armed group with roots in the aftermath of the 1994 genocide. However, if the mine were to come under transparent U.S.-backed administration as part of a broader cooperation framework between Kinshasa and Washington, Kigali would face limited diplomatic grounds to object.
This development must be examined not only through a security lens, but also through the interconnected themes of mineral governance, regional stability, and international accountability.
https://africarealities.blogspot.com/2026/02/rubaya-mine-under-us-oversight-why.html
Kagame's Refusal to Reopen Goma Airport: A Security Measure or Strategic Leverage?
The continued closure of Goma International Airport to humanitarian and commercial flights, and its effective removal from the operational control of Kinshasa, raises a central question in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo crisis: does maintaining the airport shut genuinely serve the objective of pursuing the FDLR, or does it reflect a broader strategic calculation?
Rwanda's leadership, under President Paul Kagame, has consistently framed its posture in eastern Congo as a defensive necessity aimed at neutralising the FDLR. Security concerns in the Great Lakes region are not fictional; the history of armed groups operating across porous borders is well documented. However, policy coherence matters. Measures taken in the name of security must logically degrade the capacity of the identified threat.
Closing Goma airport does not meet that test.
https://africarealities.blogspot.com/2026/02/kagames-refusal-to-reopen-goma-airport.html
Goma Airport Should Function Under MONUSCO Control
Placing Goma International Airport under the operational supervision of MONUSCO while restoring full humanitarian and commercial functionality would represent a pragmatic compromise in the current crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Such an arrangement would achieve three objectives simultaneously:
- Protect civilian and humanitarian access
- Address stated security concerns
- Reinforce Congolese sovereignty
This is not a radical proposal. It is a stabilisation mechanism.
Why MONUSCO Control Makes Strategic Sense
MONUSCO is already mandated by the United Nations Security Council to support civilian protection and stabilisation in eastern Congo. It operates aircraft, maintains secure perimeters, and coordinates closely with humanitarian actors.
https://africarealities.blogspot.com/2026/02/goma-airport-should-function-under.html
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