GENEVA, Switzerland – Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka has accused Rwanda of seeking to destabilize her country, warning that Kigali may be planning a coup in an attempt to seize control over the resource-rich nation.

In an interview, Tuluka stated that the Congolese government and its citizens are prepared to resist any such attempts.

“Perhaps in this hegemonic madness, they would like to go as far as a coup, but we are ready… The entire population understands what is happening: a neighboring country is violating our territorial integrity to gain access to our strategic mineral resources,” Tuluka declared.

The accusations come as tensions escalate following the M23 rebel group’s seizure of Goma and Bukavu in eastern DRC. The Congolese government has long accused Rwanda of backing M23, a claim Kigali denies. Efforts by Angola to mediate peace talks have failed, leading to renewed rebel offensives.

No Territorial Concessions, DRC Calls for Sanctions

Tuluka firmly rejected any territorial concessions as a means to resolve the ongoing conflict.

“It is completely unacceptable for the Democratic Republic of Congo to make territorial concessions. We rely on our territorial integrity and sovereignty,” she emphasized.

The DRC government has also called on UN member states to impose sanctions on Rwanda following a recent UN Security Council resolution that ordered M23 rebels to cease hostilities and withdraw. The resolution further condemned Rwandan Defense Forces’ alleged support for M23 and demanded an immediate withdrawal of Rwandan troops from Congolese territory.

“We believe in the UN Security Council’s action, but it took too long to get a resolution that directly names Rwanda. Now, it is crucial that individual UN member states impose sanctions to force the aggressor to leave the DRC,” Tuluka added.

Regional Security at Risk

The growing instability in eastern DRC threatens to destabilize the entire Great Lakes region, with international mediators warning of a wider conflict. The Congolese government has urged the African Union and regional blocs to take a stronger stance against foreign interference.

The situation remains fluid, with thousands of civilians fleeing the conflict zones to neighboring countries as diplomatic efforts continue to seek a resolution.