The united suspension of the aid to the war on the Congo is “criminal”

The United Kingdom’s decision to suspend some Ruanda assistance is “criminal”, authorities in the East African country said.

In a statement, the United Kingdom said it was against the support of Rwanda for the M23, a rebel group that covered parts of the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo in a deadly uprising.

Rwanda denies supporting the M23, but she recently accepted a more protective line, stating that the fight near the border between Congo and Rwanda was a threat to her security.

More than 7,000 people have died and hundreds of thousands have escaped from their homes as the conflict escalates in January, says the Government of D -Congo.

In a statement on Tuesday evening, the United Kingdom said that the humanitarian situation in Congo was “critical” and that it would stop the bilateral assistance of Rwanda, “without the support of the most, the most vulnerable.”

Earlier this month, British Foreign Secretary David Lamie said Rwanda received about £ 32 million ($ 40 million) bilateral help from the United Kingdom every year.

Along with the suspension of assistance, the United Kingdom will impose other measures, such as considering potential sanctions and stopping the “future training for Rwanda defense training,” the statement said.

These measures will continue until “significant progress” is achieved in the end of hostilities and the withdrawal of the military in Rwanda by the D -Congo.

UN experts have previously estimated that between 3000 and 4000 Randan troops are in East Congo.

The Rwanda Foreign Ministry said that the “punitive measures” announced by the United Kingdom Government “in response to the conflict in the eastern part of the DRC – where the United Kingdom has already clearly chosen a country – are regretted.”

“Measures do nothing to help the Democratic Republic of Congo, nor do they contribute to a sustainable political decision on the conflict in the eastern part of the DRC.”

The United Kingdom had previously enjoyed good relations with Rwanda. In 2022, the two sides signed a multimillion -dollar deal, in which some asylum seekers arriving on British soil would be deported to Rwanda.

The deal faced legal challenges and was defective last year after a change in the United Kingdom government.

The Congo government is campaigning for international powers to suspend the help and impose Rwanda sanctions.

Last week, the US Department of Finance said it imposed sanctions on Rwanda State Minister for Regional Integration James Cabarebe.

The United States has accused Cabarebe, a former chief of the army for being central to Rwanda’s support for M23.

Lawrence Kanjuk, a spokesman for the M23, as well as two companies he controlled in France and the United Kingdom, also sanctioned Lawrence, the US Department of Finance said.

In response to this move, the Foreign Ministry of Rwanda said the sanctions were “unjustified”.

M23 says he is struggling to achieve Better rights for tutisEthnic minority group in Congo and order in a failed country.

The rebels have taken over the two largest cities of the Eastern Dr. Congo -Goma and Bukavo.