We’re Not The Same Idiots You Dealt With 50 Years Ago, Kagame Calls Out Western Leaders Hypocrisy In Congo Crisis

President Paul Kagame called out Western leaders on Thursday, January 16, 2025, for what he described as a stark hypocrisy in their approach to international values and interests, particularly concerning the ongoing crisis in Eastern Congo.

Addressing members of the diplomatic corps during a luncheon hosted at the Kigali Convention Center, the Head of State reiterated the necessity for global powers to align their actions with the values they advocate.

“If you have taken responsibility, global responsibility, to say there are certain values you are going to insist on and push for as hard as you can, that’s fine. But it also gives you the responsibility to really walk the talk,” President Kagame remarked.

He questioned the integrity of some of the Western nations’ commitment to principles like democracy, human rights, and peace when their actions, especially in Africa, seem to contradict the ideals.

“The values you talk about must not be incompatible with the truth, with the facts, or with evidence. If you want peace, there’s a way to get peace by addressing the root causes and doing things the right way. But we see double standards and hypocrisy that add up to really nothing,” he stated.

The president drew specific attention to the persistent security and humanitarian crisis in Eastern Congo, where he criticized the international community, particularly the UN and Western nations, for their failure to resolve longstanding issues.

He pointed out the prolonged presence of UN peacekeepers in the country, now nearing three decades, without significant progress in stabilizing the troubled region.

“After nearly 30 years, what are the returns for that investment?” Kagame posed, insisting that the continued turmoil reflects a failure to address the root causes of the conflict, including the presence of genocidal ideologies and armed groups, such as FDLR, which enjoys support from the Congolese government.

Kagame dismissed allegations of Rwanda’s involvement in the instability in Congo. He termed the claims as a distortion of facts used as an excuse by some to evade responsibility.

He challenged those criticizing Rwanda to look beyond superficial narratives and understand historical contexts, such as colonial border drawing, which has led to the persecution of Congolese Tutsis in the neighbouring country and contributed to the rise of the M23 rebel group, fighting against marginalization.

The President also accused the Western leaders of selective application of values, pointing out the inconsistency in how Western nations treat different African leaders and nations.

“The person causing problems between Rwanda and the DRC has never been elected, and you know it,” he remarked, referring to the leadership in the Democratic Republic of Congo under President Felix Tshisekedi.

“So what values are you talking about that you beat others for and others you don’t know what to do?” he added.

Moreover, Kagame recounted Rwanda’s experiences with international trade policies, like the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), where he felt Rwanda was unfairly punished for decisions aimed at protecting its own industries, contrasting with how other countries with different resources or geopolitical leverage were treated.

Citing the blame game and threats against Rwanda, the President called for a partnership based on mutual respect and genuine commitment to shared values, emphasizing that Rwanda will not be forced back into the suffering it endured 30 years ago during the Genocide against the Tutsi, regardless of external pressures.

“We have paid the highest price ever in our lives. I don’t think we can be made to suffer in any other way. We will never go back to paying that same price we paid 30 years ago. It doesn’t matter who anyone is,” he stated.

“We can work together to examine the causes if we are to talk to each other and address the problem the right way,” he added.