Rwandan President Paul Kagame accused the international community of mishandling the eastern DRC crisis and failing to address its root causes, arguing that sanctions and outside interventions have compounded a conflict that has persisted for three decades.

"There are many parties to this problem. One is Congo. The other is the international community that has really messed up this whole thing from the beginning. Nobody addresses the root cause of this problem. I haven't heard of any effort so far that focuses and tries to address the root cause. It's always something superficial." 

Kagame also criticised international sanctions imposed over the conflict, arguing they added to existing problems rather than helping resolve them.

"Then immediately there are sanctions. Sanctions, sanctions. I have never understood," he said. "Instead of sanctioning FDLR or those who work with them or support them, they sanction those who fight them."

Kagame rejected accusations that Rwanda had started the conflict, instead blaming Kinshasa and accusing Congolese authorities of arming and integrating FDLR fighters into their forces.

"Actually, this conflict was started by Congo itself," he claimed. "So the start of this conflict is not by Rwanda. And then Rwanda comes to own the problem, the origin of the problem. If this problem of FDLR is not resolved, of course Rwanda will always remain involved as part of this problem. There are no two ways about it. And this is something we have said for the last 30 years."

The Rwandan leader said Kigali would continue taking whatever measures it considered necessary to safeguard its security.

Despite diplomatic efforts, M23 remains in control of Goma and parts of North Kivu, while fighting continues in eastern DRC. Kinshasa has repeatedly accused Rwanda of backing M23, a claim Kigali denies.