Treasury Sanctions Former Democratic Republic of the Congo President for Ties to Armed Conflict

WASHINGTON—Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on former President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Joseph Kabange Kabila (Kabila) for his role in supporting the March 23 Movement (M23) and the Congo River Alliance (Alliance Fleuve Congo, AFC). M23 is a Rwanda-backed armed group in eastern DRC, and AFC acts as M23’s political-military coalition, which seeks to topple the government of the DRC. M23 and AFC have fueled political instability and violent conflict in eastern DRC, resulting in the deaths of thousands of civilians and a mass displacement crisis.“President Trump is paving the way for peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and he has been clear that those who continue to sow instability will be held accountable,” said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent.