"Rwanda Leaves Central African Economic Bloc"

Rwanda Announces Withdrawal from ECCAS, Citing “Manipulation” by the DRC

Rwanda has announced its withdrawal from the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), denouncing what it calls the "strong instrumentalization" of the regional bloc’s member states by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

According to Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, some member countries are cooperating with the DRC, leaving “no justification” for Rwanda’s continued membership.

President Paul Kagame’s government accuses ECCAS of distorting the founding principles and goals of the organization.

The decision was made at the end of ECCAS’s 26th Ordinary Session, held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, which was supposed to mark Rwanda’s turn to assume the rotating presidency of the community.

According to Kigali’s statement, ECCAS “deliberately ignored” Rwanda’s right to assume the rotating leadership of the organization, “with the aim of imposing the will of the DRC.”