Kagame speaks to the BBC on DRC peace agreement

On the eve of the signing of a historic peace agreement with the Democratic Republic of Congo, the President of Rwanda, H.E. Paul Kagame spoke to the BBC about his hopes and expectations for peace with the DRC.

Excepts below:

Question: Can I ask you firstly, are we right to be optimistic? What makes this peace signing different from all the other attempts at peace in Congo between Rwanda and Kabila?

President KAGAME: Well, I always start from a point of optimism. It is very important to be optimistic. Perhaps it will help us see things more positively and it will also help the process. This agreement may be similar to others in some ways, but we must nevertheless treat it differently and try to make sure it works.

We have been brought together by an honest and impartial broker, South Africa also the current Chair of the African Union. The indications we are getting at this point is that the Government of the DRC seems to want this agreement to work. For our part, Rwanda is very eager to have it work.

Question: What about the Interhamwe militia in the Eastern Congo? What can be done about them to genuinely prove to them that there is a future, which doesn't involve taking this country by force?

President KAGAME: Well, there are a number of ways to deal with this problem. There is a history of how we have been resettling those people who have been coming from Congo, including the militias and former soldiers. We have repatriated many of them who have been reintegrated into society. Today they are leading productive and comfortable lives, or at least as comfortable as the rest of the population.

What we have been saying to them is the same thing will happen to those who are still out there. They need to come back home and be part of the process to rebuild the country.

We have also been talking to the government in Kinshasa. We have been saying to them that they should not associate themselves with this group of people that is responsible for the Genocide of 1994.

We have now reached an agreement where these two issues are addressed. Firstly, we need to disarm and repatriate these armed groups, the former soldiers and militias, and secondly is the related question of our total withdrawal from Congo. I think this is very important and we must push this agreement to its conclusion.

Question: You talk about withdrawal of your troops from Congo and you have a large number of them there. Can they return home? Do you have the money to return them, to give them jobs, use them in the development of your country?

President KAGAME: Our troops came from here and they are part of us. They have done a good job keeping the country secure from the militia and ex-FAR based in the DRC. Certainly, we are more than happy to have them back home. This will enable us direct our resources into other areas of development.

Question: What should the international community do to help? (British) Secretary of State for International Development is here. Britain has been involved in the negotiations along the way, what more could be done?

President KAGAME: Firstly, the UK Government and the Secretary of State Clare Short have been usefully engaged in this whole process trying to support peace in the region. Their contribution has indeed been very helpful.

To the wider International Community, we think they should be more engaged in finding a solution in this process than they have done in the past. I think there has been a lot of lip service paid to dealing with the problem than actually meaningfully getting engaged with resources, with political will to find solutions to the problem of these Genocidal forces. There is a lot of talk but much less in terms of deeds, in practical terms to help deal with these issues.

Question: What's the one practical thing the International Community should do? What's the biggest priority?

President KAGAME: The ex-FAR and Interahamwe were condemned by the UN Security Council for their role in the Genocide in Rwanda. There are so many UN resolutions about that. The International Community should come out forcefully in saying, 'we can't allow the militia to continue to cause problems in the region. ' Secondly, they should say 'we can't allow any government or any individual, to be associated with these people.' And I think if they came out very strongly on these two points, this could have an effect even without having to deploy a number of forces or a lot of money. A strong statement backed up by a strong political would be helpful. It would be helpful in dealing with this particular problem, but also in addressing other issues of bringing Congo back together and finding peace for the Congo and for Rwanda and other countries in the region. A strong political will does not cost money or forces.

Thank you Mr. President .

ENDS.