Speaking at a consultative forum during the Unity Club Meeting at the Intare Arena on June 27, Kagame stated that the facts on the ground in Eastern Congo provide undeniable evidence of a coordinated global effort mounted to reshape Rwanda by force.

The Head of State noted that multiple foreign armies and local militias aligned in Goma and surrounding areas with the explicit goal of launching an assault on Rwandan territory.

“If you look at what has happened in Eastern Congo, and everything we have gone through over the past four or five years, and you look at what we have left behind, there is evidence. There are facts that speak for themselves. In Eastern Congo, in Goma and elsewhere, the whole world came together against Rwanda. The whole world lined up against Rwanda: the FDLR and all the groups associated with it that have been mentioned, the Wazalendo, the Burundian forces, the FARDC, the South Africans, and many others. I would rather not spend time naming them all; there were so many,” President Kagame stated.

Kagame explained that the scale of the hostile deployment clearly exposed an intention to destabilize the nation, adding that the coalition openly admitted to these motives.

He remarked that without the visible evidence left behind, such aggressive assertions might ordinarily seem like an attempt to intimidate the public.

“When you look at the scale of what they had assembled there and what they were up against, it is clear that what they were trying to do was wage war against Rwanda, destabilize our country, and reshape it the way they wanted. In fact, they said so themselves. Ordinarily, if someone were to say these things without evidence, you might think they were simply trying to frighten people, to intimidate them,” he added.

The President further revealed that the opposing forces went as far as deploying foreign mercenaries to guarantee their planned success. However, Kagame highlighted that Rwandan defense forces, allowed these enemy combatants free passage to exit the theater of war safely—a move he said deserves high commendation.

“To convince themselves that what they wanted was within reach and that they were going to achieve it, they even brought in mercenaries. You know that many of them passed through here. We gave free passage to our enemies, allowing them to leave a war they waged against us, a war that was never theirs to begin with. That alone tells you something. And it is also something for which our forces, together with others who stood with them, deserve recognition,” Kagame said.

Kagame emphasized that despite being surrounded by hostile entities and facing an ongoing battle for survival, Rwanda possesses the historical resolve and inherent capability to successfully defend its sovereignty.

“As for Rwanda, we will always be in a struggle for our very existence. Regardless of those who wish us harm, surrounding us from many sides, one thing remains true: we should and will always be a step ahead of them. It is our right. It is our will. And our history has taught us that we have within ourselves the capacity to defend and protect ourselves whenever necessary. And that is exactly what we will continue to do,” the President affirmed.