Rwanda's Military Diplomacy Expansion Explained

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Rwanda's Expanding Defense Cooperation

Rwanda has significantly expanded its defense cooperation agreements, with a total of 43 such agreements enacted to date. Nearly half of these have been signed in the past three years, with nine of them specifically concluded in 2025. Additionally, negotiations are currently underway on 21 more agreements, as reported by the Ministry of Defense. This growth aligns closely with the establishment of the Directorate General of International Military Cooperation (IMC) three years ago, which has become one of the most active units within the Ministry of Defense.

The IMC was created to centralize and professionalize Rwanda’s external defense engagements, reflecting the increasing demand for Rwanda’s military expertise across Africa and beyond. Brig Gen Patrick Karuretwa, Director General of IMC, emphasized that these memoranda of understanding (MOUs) provide the legal and regulatory framework for bilateral engagement but are only the foundation of deeper cooperation.

A Wide Range of Defense Activities

According to Gen Karuretwa, the MOUs cover a broad spectrum of defense activities, including joint training, professional military education, intelligence, and information sharing. Other aspects typically included in an agreement are counter-terrorism, cyber security, logistics, defense acquisition, peace support operations, and defense industry cooperation. Once signed, each agreement is operationalized through joint committees that define priorities, activities, and implementation timelines.

This year alone, nine MOUs were signed across Africa, Europe, and Asia, with 21 more in the pipeline. While the agreements provide structure, Gen Karuretwa stressed that they do not capture the full scope of Rwanda’s military engagement. Much of the cooperation unfolds through continuous training exchanges, advisory missions, and operational coordination that often go unnoticed by the public.

Focused on Africa

Africa accounts for the largest share of Rwanda’s defense partnerships, a pattern described as intentional rather than incidental. Gen Karuretwa noted that Rwanda has established itself as a security provider on the continent, shaping where it focuses its efforts. This positioning has been reinforced by Rwanda’s growing operational footprint.

Beyond long-standing participation in United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions, Rwanda has engaged directly in bilateral military operations in support of African governments facing acute security threats. Deployments to Mozambique and the Central African Republic (CAR) stand out for their scale, speed, and visibility.

In Mozambique, Rwandan forces were deployed in July 2021 following a formal request from Maputo. The mandate focused on combatting and defeating terrorist groups in Cabo Delgado, stabilizing affected areas, and facilitating security sector reform. According to the Rwanda Defense Forces (RDF), insurgent forces have since been degraded and pushed out of major population centers, with remaining elements confined to remote forested areas. Government authority has been restored in key districts, and displaced civilians have returned to their villages.

Rwandan forces have also supported confidence-building measures and security sector reform, including outreach activities, medical assistance in remote areas, and facilitation of basic infrastructure such as schools and markets. The emphasis, Gen Karuretwa said, has been on enabling host nations to sustain security gains.

In the Central African Republic, Rwanda maintains infantry battalions, a battle group, a level-two hospital, and staff officers, operating under both bilateral arrangements and UN mandates. The focus has been on civilian protection, stabilization, and support to national forces. “These were situations where almost all other approaches had failed,” Gen Karuretwa said. “Rwanda projected its forces thousands of kilometers away and achieved decisive impact within months.”

Broader Engagement and Strategic Logic

Beyond these high-profile deployments, Rwanda remains a major contributor to UN peacekeeping operations. It fields more than 2,000 personnel with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), aviation units, military observers in Abyei, and additional contingents in CAR. This remains the backbone of Rwanda’s international military engagement, even as UN missions face funding pressures and downsizing.

Gen Karuretwa traced Rwanda’s posture to its own history, stating that a lot of what Rwanda does in defense cooperation is motivated by the events of 1994. He emphasized that Rwanda was the recipient of the worst possible failure of international intervention. That experience shaped Rwanda’s decision to enter peacekeeping not as a beneficiary but as a provider. “We reject indifference,” he said. “Ten years after the genocide, Rwanda joined peacekeeping to make sure we are never passive in the face of mass violence again.”

The strategic logic has evolved alongside changing threat patterns. Armed groups, terrorist networks, and transnational criminal organizations increasingly operate across borders, making national responses insufficient. “Many threats start local, become national, then regional. That reality demands cooperation and early engagement.”

Growing Influence and Diplomatic Capital

Requests for Rwanda’s involvement are not limited to direct combat support. Many partnerships focus on advisory roles, training, intelligence cooperation, and capability development. “Certain countries have more to offer than others,” Gen Karuretwa said. “Trust and alignment of interests matter.” That trust has translated into diplomatic capital.

Last month, Rwanda hosted the annual Land Forces Commanders Symposium in Kigali, drawing around 30 countries from Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. The turnout was unusually broad for a country of Rwanda’s size. “We see that as a measure of confidence in Rwanda as a respected and reliable partner,” Gen Karuretwa said.

Increased Scrutiny and Smart Power

Increased military support has also brought scrutiny. Rwanda’s security engagements have attracted both praise and criticism, particularly as they expand beyond traditional peacekeeping roles. “When you engage at this level, attention follows,” Gen Karuretwa said. “Some of it is positive. Some of it is not.”

He maintained that Rwanda’s approach was deliberate and consultative. Before deploying to Mozambique and the CAR, Rwanda engaged neighboring states and regional organizations to explain its objectives and secure non-objection. The aim was to minimize misinterpretation and political friction.

Gen Karuretwa framed Rwanda’s growing influence through the lens of “smart power,” combining military capability with diplomatic leverage. “Through operations, training, joint exercises, and sharing experience, we increase our reach and influence,” he said. “That benefits us.”

Reacting to the agreements in the pipeline, Gen Karuretwa said future agreements are likely to become more targeted, addressing specific capability gaps and emerging threats while remaining aligned with Rwanda’s broader interests. “The more we engage, the more sophisticated we become at making these partnerships work. IMC was created only three years ago, but today it is one of the busiest departments because so many countries want to work with us.”