On the case of Victoire Ingabire in Rwanda

B100390/2025

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the case of Victoire Ingabire in Rwanda

(2025/2861(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to Rule 150 (5) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas on 19 June 2025, Victoire Ingabire, head of the unregistered opposition party Development and Liberty for All (DALFA-Umurinzi) was arrested on charges of inciting public disorder and forming a criminal group; whereas on 18 July 2025 the Kicukiro Primary Court in Kigali denied Ingabire bail;

B. whereas in October 2021, seven members of DALFA-Umurinzi were arrested and detained, and their trial began late 2024;

C. whereas in February 2024, the EU and Rwanda signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on sustainable raw material value chains, with the Commission describing it as a way to ensure responsible mineral production and trade by Rwanda;

D. whereas the EU has also been focusing its development aid to Rwanda on projects in the field of democracy, governance and human rights; whereas under the Global Europe Multi-annual Indicative Programme 2021-2027, EU support seeks to strengthen accountability, the rule of law and economic governance; whereas 19.5 million EUR was granted to Rwanda to strengthen its justice sector and improve human rights;

E. whereas the former UK government secured a treaty in the field of asylum with Rwanda in December 2023, outsourcing responsibility and protection to the African country; whereas in September 2022, the governments of Denmark and Rwanda voiced their joint ambition of outsourcing asylum procedures and protection to Rwanda; whereas also political parties like Germany’s CDU debated a “Rwanda plan” for asylum seekers; whereas on 5 August 2025, Rwanda stated that it would accept up to 250 migrants from the US as part of an agreement;

1. Is worried by the arrest of Victoire Ingabire and other members of DALFA-Umurinzi; calls on the authorities in Rwanda to ensure that the trials are handled independently and transparently;

2. Encourages the regime in Rwanda to hold talks with all opposition parties and to allow them to take fully part in the internal political process;

3. Fully respects President Kagame’s model of top-down reform and economic transformation of Rwanda, built on high government efficiency, and which has led to economic and social improvement, political stability and legal predictability;

4. Takes note of the US brokered peace agreement between the DRC and Rwanda and hopes it will contribute to a sustainable peace in the region;

5. Welcomes Rwanda’s willingness to accept rejected asylum seekers from outside the African continent; calls on the EU to start negotiations with Rwanda with the aim of outsourcing responsibility and protection; is of the opinion that EU development aid fails to take into account the local context of many recipient countries and pleads for it to become also an instrument, facilitating the externalisation of migration and asylum policy;

6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the European External Action Service, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, and the President, government and parliament of Rwanda.