In an interview with Jeune Afrique, Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Nduhungirehe Olivier, when asked about relations with Burundi, said that the rhetoric of Burundi’s President Évariste Ndayishimiye does not facilitate relations; in some cases, it even hinders cooperation between the two countries.
When asked whether Burundian troops had left the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ambassador Nduhungirehe replied that Burundian troops are still in DRC and the Burundian government is well aware of this.
He said: “More than 20,000 soldiers were sent to South Kivu, where they entrenched themselves, imposed authority over the residents of Minembwe and surrounding areas, spread words of hatred, and targeted the Banyamulenge.”
The situation worsened when the AFC/M23 coalition took the city of Uvira.
After the capture of Uvira, meetings were held between Burundian and Rwandan security officials at the border on December 14 and 28, 2025, to jointly explore ways to resolve the issues.
Rwanda’s ongoing goal continues to be the restoration of relations with Burundi. What is unfortunate, however, is that President Ndayishimiye continues to spread statements that harm bilateral relations, making Rwanda’s task of rebuilding ties more difficult.
Relations between Rwanda and Burundi have been strained because Burundi accuses Rwanda of supporting those who attempted to overthrow the government in 2015, and also claims that Rwanda supports the RED-Tabara group, which Rwanda denies.
A major obstacle to bilateral relations is that President Ndayishimiye and other hardline officials claim that Rwanda has a plan to attack Burundi, which has led them to close their borders along the areas adjoining Rwanda.
Additionally, Burundi has chosen to ally with forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo that collaborate with the FDLR, cooperating with them.
