Relations between Rwanda and Burundi have once again come under discussion through diplomatic and security talks, following many years of strained ties that have grown even more tense since early 2024.
Over the past weekend, security officials from Rwanda and Burundi held a special meeting aimed at finding ways to address the deepening mistrust and rising tensions between the two countries.
The information was confirmed by Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Olivier Nduhungirehe, who said the security-level talks were intended to rebuild trust and reduce long-standing disputes that have destabilized regional security.
Relations between the two countries have been poor for years, especially since 2015, when Burundi accused Rwanda of hosting and supporting individuals who attempted to overthrow the government of President Pierre Nkurunziza. Rwanda has repeatedly denied these allegations, saying they are baseless and founded on unreliable information.
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Since then, Burundi has continued to accuse Rwanda of supporting the RED Tabara group, which opposes the government in Bujumbura. Kigali has consistently rejected these claims, calling them falsehoods meant to mislead the international community and conceal Burundi’s internal problems.
At various times, President Évariste Ndayishimiye and other senior Burundian officials have appeared in international media claiming they had intelligence indicating that Rwanda intended to attack Burundi. These statements further worsened relations, and since early 2024 Burundi has closed all its land borders with Rwanda.
On Rwanda’s side, these accusations have been described as unfounded. Kigali argues that Burundi chose to align itself with the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), which are fighting alongside the FDLR, a terrorist group made up of individuals responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Rwanda says that by aligning with FARDC and the FDLR, Burundi effectively placed itself on the same side as a group Rwanda has long warned poses a serious threat to its security and to regional stability as a whole.
Relations deteriorated further after the capture of the city of Uvira by the AFC/M23 coalition, when Burundi accused Rwanda of firing on its territory and claimed its security had been compromised by events unfolding in South Kivu.
In an interview with France 24 aired on 18 December 2025, Minister Nduhungirehe said Burundi’s accusations did not reflect the truth, adding that it was Burundi that had fired shells onto Congolese territory.
He said: “That is not true. Instead, it was Burundian shells that were fired into the town of Kamanyola, which caused Congolese civilians to flee into Rwanda, in Bugarama.”
These remarks underscored that the crisis goes beyond rhetoric, involving military actions that could spark open conflict in the region if not addressed through diplomacy.
When a France 24 journalist asked whether there were ongoing talks between Rwanda and Burundi, Minister Nduhungirehe replied that meetings between security institutions are not one-off events, but must continue in order to reach a lasting solution.
He said: “On the Burundian side, a meeting took place this weekend between the security organs of both states to discuss the increasingly tense situation. We believe that if these meetings continue, we will reach a solution, restore a positive atmosphere in the region, and return to compliance with various peace agreements.”
Meanwhile, the security situation between Rwanda and Burundi is also linked to talks taking place at the international level, particularly the Washington talks between Rwanda and the DRC.
Within this framework, a Joint Security Coordination Mechanism was established to monitor efforts to completely dismantle the FDLR and to lift the defensive measures Rwanda has put in place along its borders.
The peace agreement between Rwanda and the DRC was signed on 4 December 2025, but Kigali says it has not yet been implemented because the DRC continues military operations and fighting.
The FDLR is estimated to have between 7,000 and 10,000 fighters, and Rwanda says many of them are integrated into FARDC units, which are fighting alongside more than 20,000 Burundian troops deployed in eastern DRC against the AFC/M23.
Minister Nduhungirehe concluded by saying that meetings of the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism will resume, focusing on how to permanently eliminate the FDLR and lift Rwanda’s defensive measures once all parties comply with what was agreed.
If these talks yield results, they would mark a significant step toward restoring trust between Rwanda and Burundi and easing the long-standing tensions that have fueled insecurity in the Great Lakes region.
