Rwanda has formally announced its withdrawal from the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), accusing the regional bloc of being manipulated by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and failing to uphold its own founding principles.
In a strongly worded statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Rwanda expressed deep concern over what it described as the “instrumentalization” of ECCAS by the DRC, with backing from unspecified member states. The statement followed the 26th Ordinary Summit held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, where Rwanda’s entitlement to assume the rotating Chairmanship of the bloc was reportedly denied.
“This distortion of the organization’s purpose was once again evident during the 26th Ordinary Summit,” the statement read. “Where Rwanda’s right to assume the rotating Chairmanship, stipulated in Article 6 of the Treaty, was deliberately ignored in order to impose the DRC’s diktat.”
Tensions between Rwanda and the DRC have escalated in recent years, with both countries trading accusations of political interference and armed support for rebel groups operating along their shared border. These broader political tensions appear to have spilled over into ECCAS, a regional economic bloc that aims to promote regional integration, peace, and security among its 11 member states.
Rwanda has been accused of supporting M23 rebels in the east of DR Congo. The group has made major advances at the beginning of the year, taking the key regional cities of Goma and Bukavu. DR Congo’s government, the US and France have identified Rwanda as backing the M23.
The 2025 Goma offensive was a military operation launched by the March 23 Movement, a Congolese rebel group that is part of the Congo River Alliance and is supported by Rwanda, against the regional capital of Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It lasted from January 23 to January 30, 2025.
Rwanda’s withdrawal comes after previous grievances were raised in 2023, when the country was excluded from the 22nd ECCAS Summit held in Kinshasa under the DRC’s presidency. According to the Rwandan government, a formal protest was submitted to the African Union at the time, denouncing what it called an “illegal exclusion.”
“Rwanda had already, in a letter addressed to the Chairperson of the African Union, denounced its illegal exclusion from the 22nd Summit held in 2023 in Kinshasa under the DRC’s presidency. The silence and inaction that followed confirm the organization’s failure to enforce its own rules,” the Ministry stated.
ECCAS, established in 1983, has long played a role in regional peacekeeping and economic cooperation. Rwanda’s decision to exit the bloc marks a significant development that could have wider implications for regional diplomacy and integration efforts in Central Africa.
The government’s statement emphasized that ECCAS had failed to safeguard the rights of its members as enshrined in its constitutive texts. “Rwanda sees no justification for remaining in an organization whose current functioning runs counter to its founding principles and intended purpose,” it concluded.
Rwandan officials did not clarify whether the country plans to pursue other forms of regional cooperation or if it intends to rejoin the bloc in the future should reforms be implemented.
The DRC, which only joined ECCAS in 2008, currently plays a central role in the organization. With its vast mineral wealth and increasing geopolitical significance, Kinshasa has cultivated growing clout within continental institutions.
Do you have any story or press releases you want to share? Send tips to editor@envestreetfinancial.com
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn to ensure you don’t miss out on any