BUJUMBURA, Burundi— Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye has issued a stark warning over escalating tensions in East Africa, accusing neighboring Rwanda of destabilizing the region by supporting armed groups operating in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The allegations were delivered during a high-profile address to diplomats on Friday, January 31, as concerns mount over the spillover effects of the DRC’s protracted conflict.
Ndayishimiye asserted that Rwanda is providing weapons and training to Burundian refugees allegedly involved in violence in the DRC’s restive east, a region plagued by over 120 armed factions. “Rwanda’s actions threaten not just the DRC but all neighboring states,” he declared. “If this expansion continues, Burundi will not remain untouched.” The president vowed his nation would avoid “being dragged into a wider war” but emphasized readiness to defend its sovereignty.
The Burundian leader framed the crisis as a regional security emergency, stressing that countries such as Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, and even distant South Africa—which has deployed troops as part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission in the DRC—are at risk. “This is not Burundi’s burden alone. The entire East African community faces a common threat,” he said, urging collective action to prevent further deterioration.
Ndayishimiye criticized the international community for its muted response, labeling the silence “complicit.” He warned that without urgent intervention, the Great Lakes region could face a catastrophic escalation. “The world cannot standby while fires are lit at our doorstep,” he added.
Tensions between Burundi and Rwanda reached a new low in January 2024 when Bujumbura shuttered its land borders with Rwanda, accusing Kigali of backing the RED-Tabara rebel group. The faction, active in eastern DRC, has claimed responsibility for attacks in Burundi, including a December 2023 assault that killed 20 people. Rwanda has consistently denied the allegations, calling them “unfounded distractions.”
Burundi, which has deployed hundreds of troops to assist the DRC’s military under a bilateral security pact, remains a vocal opponent of external support for insurgent groups. Despite periodic diplomatic overtures, relations with Rwanda remain frosty, underscoring decades of mistrust in a region still scarred by conflicts dating back to the 1990s.
As regional bodies like the African Union and SADC grapple with containing the crisis, analysts warn that the DRC’s mineral-rich east—a hotspot for illegal resource exploitation and militia activity—could become the tinderbox for a broader conflict. Ndayishimiye’s appeal highlights the fragile equilibrium in the Great Lakes, where cross-border grievances and geopolitical rivalries continue to undermine stability.
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