Rwanda President Paul Kagame. Photo | courtesy.
Rwanda has officially withdrawn from the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), citing what it terms as deliberate political manipulation by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with support from other unnamed member states.
In a statement issued on June 7 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Rwanda accused the bloc of undermining its rights under ECCAS’s founding treaty by sidelining it from the rotating chairmanship during the 26th Ordinary Summit held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.
“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,” the statement reads.
The latest summit, Rwanda said, mirrored a similar incident during the 22nd Summit in Kinshasa in 2023, where it was excluded from participation under DRC’s presidency.
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Kigali further criticized the organization’s silence and inaction following its formal complaints to the African Union.
What Is ECCAS?
Established in 1983, the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) is a regional bloc that promotes economic integration, peace, and development across Central Africa.
Its 11 members include Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Rwanda, and São Tomé and Príncipe.
ECCAS’s mandate spans trade liberalization, regional infrastructure, peacekeeping, and environmental cooperation especially in managing the ecologically critical Congo Basin.
The bloc also coordinates security operations, including counterterrorism and conflict resolution efforts in volatile zones such as the Central African Republic and eastern DRC.
Fallout From Rwanda’s Exit
Rwanda’s abrupt withdrawal could have far-reaching implications for the regional bloc.
Deteriorating Regional Relations, an escalated tension between Rwanda and DRC over the security conflict in eastern Congo where DRC accuses Rwanda of supporting M23 rebel group which led to thousands of death and growing fears across major cities in eastern Congo early this year.
Kigali has consistently denied the allegations asserting that its military moves are acts of self-defense against Congolese forces and hostile militias linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide
