Tensions between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) threatened to take a new turn on Tuesday following a scuffle at a US hotel involving DRC First Lady Denise Nyakeru Tshisekedi.
Both countries have offered contradicting accounts of the incident.
Rwandan authorities dismissed DRC’s claims that its security agents targeted the First Lady and termed the allegations a “gross misrepresentation” amounting to “blatant dishonesty.”
The strongly worded statement from the Rwandan Embassy in the US on Wednesday followed a briefing by DRC government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya on Tuesday night.
“The First Lady has been in the US for the past few days at the invitation of President Trump’s wife for a summit. We received news of an incident that occurred at the hotel where the First Lady is staying,” Muyaya said. “From the information we have, there were individuals who tried to break into the hotel.”
Despite the security scare, Muyaya confirmed that the DRC First Lady was safe and that US authorities were investigating the matter.
Rwanda accused DR Congo security agents of starting the confrontation, saying they blocked unarmed Rwandan officers from accessing a shared hotel hallway despite being booked at the same facility. Kigali described the incident as minor and said it was resolved quickly.
In a statement, Rwanda said one of its security officers was briefly prevented from accessing an elevator by DRC agents, calling the action inappropriate in a shared space. It added that the situation was contained without further escalation.
Rwanda also claimed its delegation was later harassed and filmed by unknown individuals as they checked out and moved to another hotel. It said its officers acted professionally and walked away to avoid further conflict.
The incident occurred as delegations from both countries met in Washington, DC, for mediation talks.
Tensions have remained high despite the signing of the Washington Accords in December 2025, a ceasefire deal brokered by US President Donald Trump and witnessed by, among others, Kenyan President William Ruto.
The DRC has said it will honor the agreement if Rwanda withdraws its troops from eastern Congo.
“We have signed the Washington Accords and are working to implement them. We will honor our commitments fully,” government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya said.
Tensions have also been fueled by US sanctions imposed on March 2 against the Rwandan military and some officials over alleged support for M23 rebels. Rwanda has dismissed the sanctions as unjust.