Rwanda can no longer accept refugees from DR Congo, says President Kagame

KIGALI, Rwanda

Rwanda can no longer offer refuge to people fleeing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Rwandan president said.

“We have had refugees here for over 20 years, from DRC. I am refusing that Rwanda should carry this burden and be insulted and abused every day about it,” Paul Kagame told the senate.

Rwanda already hosts around 72,000 refugees from DR Congo.

“This is not Rwanda's problem. And we are going to ensure that everybody realizes that it is not Rwanda's problem,” Kagame said.

His comments came amid tensions between Kigali and Kinshasa over Congolese M23 rebels fighting government troops in the east.

DR Congo accuses Rwanda of backing the rebels, a charge Rwanda has consistently denied.

Kigali has in turn accused Kinshasa of allying with Rwandan rebels of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), whose elements are blamed for the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi ethnic group.

Last year, Rwanda inked a controversial deal with the UK government to host illegal arrivals using the English Channel to reach there.