Latest news with #Makolo
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
UK will not pay Rwanda more for scrapped migrant deal
The UK government has said it will not send further payments to Rwanda following the cancellation of the migrant deal between the two countries. On Monday, Rwanda's government spokesperson Yolande Makolo said the UK had asked Rwanda to "quietly forgo" the remaining payment - reportedly amounting to £50m ($64m) - based on "trust and good faith". However, Rwanda has now asked the UK to pay the remainder of the money it says it is owed, accusing the UK of breaching trust by suspending some aid to the country. In a statment, a UK government spokesperson said that "no further payments in relation to this policy will be made and Rwanda has waived any additional payments". Last month, the UK announced it would halt bilateral aid to Rwanda, "excluding support to the poorest and most vulnerable". The UK took the decision to cut aid after accusing the country of supporting M23, a rebel group that has captured swathes of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in a deadly uprising. The aid cuts have amounted to "unjustified punitive measures to coerce Rwanda into compromising our national security", Makolo said on Monday. Rwanda has often denied backing the M23 rebel group, but has recently been more defensive, saying it has had to take measures to deal with the "existential threat" posed by genocidal militia near its borders. UN experts have previously estimated that between 3,000 and 4,000 Rwandan troops are in eastern DR Congo. Makolo said Rwanda would now be "following up" on outsanding payments relating to the migrant deal to which the UK was "legally bound". The plan to deport some asylum seekers to Rwanda, devised by the previous Conservative government in 2022, cost the UK £240m ($310m) before being scrapped by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. Speaking in July last year, shortly after being elected, Starmer said the plan was "dead and buried", arguing that the scheme had "never been a deterrent" and would only deport "less than 1%" of small boat arrivals. In a statement, a UK government spokesperson said: "The Home Secretary has been clear that the costly Migration and Economic Development Partnership with Rwanda wasted tax-payer money and should not continue." Who's pulling the strings in the DR Congo crisis? Rwanda angered by US sanctions over DR Congo violence 'They took all the women here': Rape survivors recall horror of DR Congo jailbreak Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
UK will not pay Rwanda more for scrapped migrant deal
The UK government has said it will not send further payments to Rwanda following the cancellation of the migrant deal between the two countries. On Monday, Rwanda's government spokesperson Yolande Makolo said the UK had asked Rwanda to "quietly forgo" the remaining payment - reportedly amounting to £50m ($64m) - based on "trust and good faith". However, Rwanda has now asked the UK to pay the remainder of the money it says it is owed, accusing the UK of breaching trust by suspending some aid to the country. In a statment, a UK government spokesperson said that "no further payments in relation to this policy will be made and Rwanda has waived any additional payments". The plan to deport some asylum seekers to Rwanda, devised by the previous Conservative government in 2022, cost the UK £240m ($310m) before being scrapped by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. Speaking in July last year, shortly after being elected, Starmer said the plan was "dead and buried", arguing that the scheme had "never been a deterrent" and would only deport "less than 1%" of small boat arrivals. Last month, the UK announced it would halt bilateral aid to Rwanda, "excluding support to the poorest and most vulnerable". The UK took the decision to cut aid after accusing the country of supporting M23, a rebel group that has captured swathes of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in a deadly uprising. The aid cuts have amounted to "unjustified punitive measures to coerce Rwanda into compromising our national security", Makolo wrote on X. Makolo said Rwanda would now be "following up" on outsanding payments relating to the migrant deal to which the UK was "legally bound". Rwanda has often denied backing the M23 rebel group, but has recently been more defensive, saying it has had to take measures to deal with the "existential threat" posed by genocidal militia near its borders. UN experts have previously estimated that between 3,000 and 4,000 Rwandan troops are in eastern DR Congo. More than 7,000 people have died and hundreds of thousands have fled their homes since the conflict escalated in January, DR Congo's government says. In a statement, a UK government spokesperson said "no further payments in relation to this policy will be made and Rwanda has waived any additional payments". "The Home Secretary has been clear that the costly Migration and Economic Development Partnership with Rwanda wasted tax-payer money and should not continue," the spokesperson added. Who's pulling the strings in the DR Congo crisis? Rwanda angered by US sanctions over DR Congo violence 'They took all the women here': Rape survivors recall horror of DR Congo jailbreak Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
Russia Today
06-02-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Rwanda committed to peace in DRC conflict
Rwanda remains steadfast in its pursuit of peace and a sustainable resolution to the ongoing conflict in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), according to Yolande Makolo, spokesperson for the Rwandan government. Speaking to RT, Makolo underscored Kigali's commitment to a political process, asserting that 'we [Rwanda] need peace and we want peace more than anyone else here.' Addressing accusations from the DRC's authorities, who have accused Rwanda of escalating the conflict in the eastern part of the country, Makolo dismissed the allegations, claiming that DRC officials 'have really become expert' in blaming others instead of addressing their own governance and security issues. 'What Rwanda is doing right now is ensuring that our borders are defended and that our people are safe,' she said, highlighting the threat posed by the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an armed rebel group connected to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, now operating in the DRC. Makolo reiterated Rwanda's position that there is no military solution to the conflict, emphasizing the need for a political process led by the African Union and regional leaders. READ MORE: From Leopold to lithium: How corporations perfected the art of plundering Africa Discussing the current situation on the border near Goma, Makolo noted that the M23 rebel group had declared a unilateral ceasefire for humanitarian reasons. 'That's very good, so that life can get back to normal,' she said, expressing hope that this would provide space for political dialogue. Makolo also highlighted the toll of the conflict on Rwandan civilians, citing the loss of 16 lives due to cross-border shelling. When questioned about the presence of Rwandan troops in the DRC, Makolo said Rwanda has soldiers on its borders only, defending them and 'ensuring that nothing comes across.' The DRC government has repeatedly accused Rwanda of providing support to M23 rebels – a claim Kigali has consistently denied. The allegations have strained diplomatic relations between the two countries. Responding to the allegations, Makolo denied direct support, instead highlighting Rwanda's role in hosting over 100,000 Congolese refugees who have fled violence. Criticizing the international community's response to the crisis, Makolo pointed out the ineffectiveness of the UN's MONUSCO peacekeeping mission, which has been present in the DRC for over two decades. 'They have achieved nothing,' the Rwandan spokesperson stated. She called on international actors to better understand the root causes of the conflict and take appropriate action to eliminate security threats in the region. Addressing claims that the conflict is driven by competition over mineral resources, Makolo noted that 'Rwanda has no mineral companies in the DRC.' READ MORE: Rebels declare ceasefire in DR Congo The DRC has faced decades of violence, especially in the east, where armed groups such as M23 fight for control over resource-rich territories. The region holds vast mineral reserves, including gold, coltan, and diamonds. In the latest escalation, M23 has seized unprecedented amount of territory, raising UN concerns of a broader regional conflict.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Rwanda illegally occupying DR Congo, minister tells BBC
Rwanda is illegally occupying the Democratic Republic of Congo and attempting to orchestrate regime change, the country's foreign minister has told the BBC. Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner said this followed decades of impunity and failure to hold Rwandan President Paul Kagame accountable for violating international law. Her comments come after Rwanda-backed M23 rebels captured the eastern Comgolese city of Goma and threatened to continue their offensive to the capital, Kinshasa. Rwanda's government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo denied the accusation and said its troops were deployed to prevent the conflict spilling over to its territory. "We're not interested in war, we're not interested in annexation, we're not interested in regime change," Ms Makolo told the BBC's Newsday programme. The Southern African Development Community (Sadc), a regional bloc made up of 16 members, is holding a special meeting on Friday in Zimbabwe to discuss the situation in DR Congo. Sadc has sent peacekeeping troops, primarily from South Africa, to DR Congo to combat armed groups like the M23 and restore peace in the mineral-rich region after decades of unrest. Sixteen Sadc soldiers have been killed in clashes with the M23 around Goma in the past week. In a war of words with his South African counterpart, Rwanda's President Kagame said the Sadc troops were "not a peacekeeping force, and it has no place in this situation". Ms Makolo asserted that Rwanda's troops were securing their borders in response to "repeated violations" including fatalities from cross-border shelling. "The DRC needs to do a better job of getting their territory in order. That is their responsibility," she said. Ms Wagner called for a halt to foreign aid being sent to Rwanda and sanctions to be placed on the leaders "enabling this warfare". She also called for Rwanda's troops to be suspended from UN peacekeeping missions around the world. "We have to witness a country that presents itself as a peace-bringer in other countries, be(ing) a warmonger in the Great Lakes region," she said. South Africa and Rwanda go head-to-head over DR Congo war DR Congo's failed gamble on Romanian mercenaries What's the fighting in DR Congo all about? DR Congo: The crime behind the chaos Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
BBC News
31-01-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
DR Congo fighting: Rwanda illegally occupying Goma, says Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner
Rwanda is illegally occupying the Democratic Republic of Congo and attempting to orchestrate regime change, the country's foreign minister has told the Kayikwamba Wagner said this followed decades of impunity and failure to hold Rwandan President Paul Kagame accountable for violating international comments come after Rwanda-backed M23 rebels captured the eastern Comgolese city of Goma and threatened to continue their offensive to the capital, Kinshasa. Rwanda's government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo denied the accusation and said its troops were deployed to prevent the conflict spilling over to its territory. "We're not interested in war, we're not interested in annexation, we're not interested in regime change," Ms Makolo told the BBC's Newsday Southern African Development Community (Sadc), a regional bloc made up of 16 members, is holding a special meeting on Friday in Zimbabwe to discuss the situation in DR has sent peacekeeping troops, primarily from South Africa, to DR Congo to combat armed groups like the M23 and restore peace in the mineral-rich region after decades of unrest. Sixteen Sadc soldiers have been killed in clashes with the M23 around Goma in the past a war of words with his South African counterpart, Rwanda's President Kagame said the Sadc troops were "not a peacekeeping force, and it has no place in this situation".Ms Makolo asserted that Rwanda's troops were securing their borders in response to "repeated violations" including fatalities from cross-border shelling."The DRC needs to do a better job of getting their territory in order. That is their responsibility," she Wagner called for a halt to foreign aid being sent to Rwanda and sanctions to be placed on the leaders "enabling this warfare". She also called for Rwanda's troops to be suspended from UN peacekeeping missions around the world."We have to witness a country that presents itself as a peace-bringer in other countries, be(ing) a warmonger in the Great Lakes region," she said. You may also be interested in: South Africa and Rwanda go head-to-head over DR Congo warDR Congo's failed gamble on Romanian mercenariesWhat's the fighting in DR Congo all about?DR Congo: The crime behind the chaos Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
