Rwandan President Paul Kagame is skipping the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly high-level week in New York for the third consecutive year amid ongoing diplomatic tensions with the United States and fallout over regional conflicts in eastern DRC.
Key Reasons for Absence
Tensions with Washington: Relations between Kigali and the U.S. have remained strained, particularly following U.S. Treasury sanctions targeting the Rwanda Defense Force and senior military officers over alleged support for M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Alternative Representation: Rather than attending in person, President Kagame is having Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva stand in and lead the Rwandan delegation at the UN gathering, mirroring previous deployments where high-level surrogates represent Rwanda at major international forums. Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe is expected to participate.
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