The Great Lakes region continues to face the threat of terrorism, particularly from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a DR Congo-based Ugandan terror group affiliated to the Islamic State, foreign minister Amb Olivier Nduhungirehe said during a high-level UN Security Council debate in New York, on Tuesday, January 21.
The minister said that the ADF, identified as one of the groups responsible for the most egregious human rights violations in DR Congo, has claimed the lives of over 650 civilians since June 2024, including more than 200 in the Beni region alone.
Despite this "clear and present danger", he added, it is appalling to see that the Congolese government "has chosen to divert attention from this real terrorist threat by labelling another movement, the M23 - which is a group fighting to protect a persecuted Congolese community - as a terrorist organization."
"For more several decades, this community that the M23 defends has faced systematic marginalization, forcing many to seek refuge in neighbouring countries, including Rwanda, where we host over 100,000 refugees."
This, Nduhungirehe said, brings us to an important question: who has the legitimacy to define terrorism, and which groups should be designated as terrorist organizations in eastern DR Congo?
"Can a UN member state allow itself the right to abuse this notion of terrorism for political and diplomatic gains? Including vis-a-vis the UN Security Council?"
"When we look at it, who can be qualified as terrorist in eastern DRC beyond the ADF? Is it the M23, a Congolese movement protecting a Congolese community victim of hate speech? Or is it the Congolese national army, that has embedded the FDLR genocidal force - which is not only a UN sanctioned group, but also a movement the was designated by the U.S. Government in 2001 as a terrorist organization?"
For the past three decades, eastern DR Congo has been home to FDLR, a UN-sanctioned militia linked to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. The militia continues to destabilize the region especially by spreading an anti-Tutsi genocide ideology and persecuting Congolese Tutsi communities.
Nduhungirehe continued to ask: What do terrorist acts look like in eastern DR Congo? Can the protection of a Congolese community be qualified as terrorism? Or is it the targeting, persecution and killing of civilian Tutsi in eastern DR Congo, including through the burning down, in October 2023, of more than 300 homes of Congolese Tutsi in Nturo village (Masisi territory) by FARDC (Congolese army), the Nyatura and FDLR militias, which should be qualified as terrorism?
The minister added: "We cannot hope to resolve the threat of terrorism if we fail to identify and address its true perpetrators. The international community must ensure that efforts to combat terrorism are rooted in impartiality, justice, and a genuine commitment to peace. Mislabelling groups or ignoring systemic injustices only perpetuates cycles of violence and undermines the credibility of our collective actions."
In this regard, he said, Rwanda proposes five concrete steps to strengthen African leadership in counter-terrorism efforts.
1. Enhance AU's operational and logistical capacities
First, he said, "we must significantly enhance the operational and logistical capacities of African Union peacekeeping forces" and regional security architectures, such as the G5 Sahel and the Multinational Joint Task Force. This includes providing specialized training, modern equipment, and sustainable resources to empower African forces to effectively prevent and respond to terrorist threats, he said.
"Rwanda's collaboration with Mozambique offers a compelling example. This model of bilateral African cooperation underscores the potential of tailored, context-specific interventions. The Security Council and international community should, therefore, encourage and support such arrangements, as they have proved productive in addressing terrorism challenges in some affected member states."
2. Integrate counterterrorism with development and governance initiatives
Second, he said, counterterrorism must be integrated with development and governance initiatives. Terrorism thrives in regions where poverty, unemployment, and lack of basic services prevail, he said.
"We need to invest in sustainable development programs that address the root causes of extremism. Governments must work to close governance gaps that terrorists exploit to sow discord and gain support."
3. Continue strengthening the African Peace and Security Architecture
Third, he said, "we must continue strengthening" the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA). This requires ensuring that institutional frameworks are fully operational and equipped to provide timely and regionally tailored responses, he explained. Mobilizing financial resources for the AU Peace Fund and other mechanisms will help reduce dependency on external donors and reinforce Africa's ownership of its security challenges, he said.
4. Prioritize regional cooperation
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Fourth is prioritising regional cooperation and information sharing.
He explained that African nations must establish secure channels for intelligence gathering, enabling swift and collective responses to cross-border threats. This collaborative approach should also involve partnerships with international allies who can support capacity-building and resource mobilization, he said.
5. Prevention
Finally, he said, prevention must be "at the heart of our strategy". Governments need to implement early intervention programmes to counter violent extremism, focusing on youth empowerment and community resilience, he said.
Promoting tolerance, respect for human rights, and inclusion through grassroots initiatives will help address grievances that extremists exploit, Nduhungirehe said.
"These interventions must be driven by our shared responsibility as Africans to ensure that terrorism does not derail the aspirations of our continent's people."
"Rwanda remains committed to working with regional and international partners to address this growing threat. By focusing on the root causes of terrorism, strengthening resilience, and supporting African-led initiatives, we can build a safer and more secure continent for all."
