WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on the Rwandan Ministry of Defence and Zigama Credit and Savings Society on Wednesday. The Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Rwanda and Zigama Credit and Savings Society were added to OFAC's Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List. Primary source: ofac.treasury.gov

"Today, the United States makes good on President Trump’s promise to hold Rwanda accountable for its commitments under the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said. "Rwanda must halt its support for M23 and withdraw its troops from eastern DRC."

The Rwandan Ministry of Defence is the umbrella organization for Rwanda’s security services, including the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF). It was designated pursuant to Executive Order 13413, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided support for the RDF. OFAC had previously sanctioned the RDF on March 2, 2026.

The RDF has deployed thousands of troops across eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo’s North and South Kivu provinces at the direction of the Rwandan Ministry of Defence. It conducts operations alongside the March 23 Movement (M23) and provides the armed group with military equipment, supplies, logistical support, and training. The RDF has also introduced surface-to-air missile systems and jamming equipment to the battlefield in eastern DRC.

Zigama Credit and Savings Society operates on behalf of Rwanda’s security services and was designated for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided support for the RDF, M23, and the Congo River Alliance. The financial institution facilitated payments to entities in China and additional countries for weapons, ammunition, and other military equipment for the RDF, as well as payments for RDF travel and accommodation for training activities. A Zigama branch enabled the transportation of gold sourced from M23-controlled territory in eastern DRC to Kigali, and the institution facilitated financial transactions for M23 and the Congo River Alliance amounting to tens of millions of dollars. Primary source: ofac.treasury.gov

M23 is a U.S.- and United Nations-designated armed group that has seized territory in eastern DRC. The group captured Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu province, and Bukavu, the provincial capital of South Kivu province, in early 2025. M23 has taken control of gold mines in South Kivu province and Rubaya, an area for coltan mining in North Kivu province, where civilians have been subjected to forced labor, dangerous working conditions, and illegal taxation schemes. Since its rebellion reemerged in 2021, M23 has carried out extrajudicial killings, unlawful detentions, and torture or other physical abuses in areas under its control.

All property and interests in property of the designated persons that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. Entities owned 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within the United States that involve any property or interests in property of blocked persons, unless authorized by a license or exempt.

Violations of U.S. sanctions may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties on U.S. and foreign persons, and non-U.S. persons are prohibited from causing or conspiring to cause U.S. persons to violate U.S. sanctions. OFAC may impose civil penalties for sanctions violations on a strict liability basis.

Why It Matters

The Washington Accords incorporated a regional economic framework to expand trade and investment, enhance transparency in critical minerals supply chains, and promote greater investment in the Great Lakes Region of Africa. Minerals sourced from M23-controlled territory are integrated into supply chains in Rwanda, where domestic mining capacity is smaller than export volumes reported since M23’s rebellion began.