MBABANE – The United States of America (USA) Government has imposed sanctions on former DRC President Joseph Kabange Kabila.
the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a member of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) .
The USA Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) accused him of playing a pivotal role in fuelling armed conflict in the eastern region of the country.
According to a press statement released on April 30, 2026, the US government targeted Kabila for his alleged material support to the March 23 Movement (M23) and the Congo River Alliance (Alliance Fleuve Congo, AFC), entities designated as key drivers of instability and violence in the DRC.
The Treasury Department revealed that Kabila, who served as president from 2001 to 2019, has been providing financial and logistical backing to the armed groups.
These groups, including the Rwanda-backed M23, have been implicated in the deaths of thousands of civilians and a mass displacement crisis in North and South Kivu provinces.
Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent stated that the action is intended to support the integrity of the recently signed Washington Accords.
“President Trump is paving the way for peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo,and he has been clear that those who continue to sow instability will be held accountable,” Bessent said.
“Treasury will continue to use its full range of tools to support the integrity of the Washington Accords.”
The sanctions come months after the historic USA-brokered Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity were signed by DRC and Rwandan heads of State on December 4, 2025.
The accords aim to advance a Regional Economic Integration Framework, enhancing transparency in critical minerals supply chains and boosting investment.
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