DRC: US sanctions on Rwanda draw mixed reactions in Goma

A day after the United States announced sanctions targeting Rwanda’s Ministry of Defence and a Rwandan financial institution, residents in Goma reacted with both hope and scepticism.

Some believe the decision could increase pressure on Kigali. Others remain doubtful after several diplomatic initiatives failed to restore lasting peace.

In Goma, the announcement has raised expectations but also deepened fatigue. The conflict continues to shape daily life, and residents are cautious about decisions made abroad. For many, the priority is simple: tangible improvements in security.

Jimmy Buhenwa, a resident of Goma, doubts the effectiveness of the measures. In his view, the agreements and sanctions announced in recent months have not yet produced the expected changes.

“If these sanctions had really been significant, we would have seen a change by now. But since the agreements and sanctions were announced, we have seen no change,” he said.

His comments reflect a wider frustration with the gap between diplomatic announcements and life on the ground. Negotiations continue, but for Goma residents, a lasting return to normality remains uncertain.

David Kalamembo shares this sense of helplessness. Faced with decisions whose effects remain largely invisible to him, he primarily expresses the wish to see the war come to an end.

“They talk about sanctions, but they change nothing. That is why we are asking God to help us by ending the war, so that we can return to the way things were,” he said.

Behind these words lies a shared expectation: peace that goes beyond official statements and translates into a tangible improvement in living conditions and security.

The sanctions come as several diplomatic initiatives seek to end the conflict in eastern DRC. Washington accuses Kigali of providing military support to the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation, or FRN, led by former Congolese president Joseph Kabila.

Announced on Wednesday, 28 October, the measures target Rwanda’s Ministry of Defence and Zigama Credit and Savings Society. The financial institution is accused of facilitating support for the armed movement. By targeting state and financial structures, Washington is seeking to increase pressure on Kigali and reinforce commitments made during diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis.

In Goma, some residents want to believe that this additional pressure could help break the deadlock. Michel Kamango hopes the sanctions will affect the parties concerned and help bring about a return to peace.

“I believe there will be pressure, since there were agreements. And I believe that everything will be fine and that, soon, peace will return,” he said.

But that confidence is limited. For residents, a growing number of international initiatives is no guarantee of change. The sanctions’ impact will depend on their scope, implementation and ability to influence those involved in the conflict.

Aluta Ramazani sums up this expectation in a few words: “All we want is for peace to return to our Congo. We do not need anything else; we simply need things to change.”

Beyond the hopes they have raised, the measures have prompted questions about their ability to directly influence the military dynamics in eastern DRC. Although they target Rwandan institutions accused of supporting the armed movement, their concrete impact on military operations and the balance of power remains difficult to predict.

For Fidel Banso, an independent analyst, the central question is the actual effectiveness of the measures within the framework of the diplomatic commitments already made.

“Have all these sanctions contributed to ensuring that the Washington process is respected? These US sanctions against the Rwandan government and Rwanda’s defence sector may have implications for the Rwandan government. But I do not see how these sanctions can have an impact on the politico-military movement in Goma,” he said.

That distinction highlights a key challenge for Washington: pressuring the institutions accused of involvement while producing results in a conflict involving multiple political and military actors.

The sanctions may raise the diplomatic and financial costs of supporting the armed movement. But their impact on security will depend on how they are implemented and how the parties respond. Their announcement does not necessarily mean an immediate change on the front lines.

For the people of Goma, the difference between diplomatic pressure and developments on the ground remains crucial. Beyond the announcements, they are looking for concrete signs of de-escalation.

In Kinshasa, the US sanctions were welcomed by the Congolese authorities. Crispin Mbadu, the deputy foreign minister responsible for Francophonie and the Congolese diaspora, expressed his support for the decision in a message posted on the social media platform X. For the Congolese authorities, the measures form part of efforts to secure compliance with the commitments made to end the conflict.

In Kigali, the tone was very different. Rwanda’s Foreign Minister, Olivier Nduhungirehe, told Agence France-Presse that Rwanda bore no responsibility for the Congolese crisis.

These opposing positions illustrate the persistent divisions between the two countries, as diplomatic initiatives continue to seek a way out of the crisis in eastern DRC.

In Goma, residents remain caught between hope and disillusionment. Some see the sanctions as an opportunity to increase pressure on Kigali. Others are waiting for proof that they will change daily life.

For communities exhausted by war, a diplomatic measure is judged by its results, not its announcement. Until peace brings tangible improvements in security, the sanctions risk becoming another promise whose impact remains unproven.