The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed sanctions on former President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Joseph Kabange 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.
This action, taken on April 30, supports the historic U.S.-brokered Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity signed by the DRC and Rwandan heads of state on December 4, 2025, and their associated commitment to advance a Regional Economic Integration Framework that expands trade and investment, enhances transparency in critical minerals supply chains, and paves the way for greater investment in the region.
M23, a U.S.- and United Nations-designated armed group, has captured large portions of territory in eastern DRC, including the capitals of North and South Kivu provinces, Goma and Bukavu, with direct military, financial, and logistical support from the Rwanda Defense Force, which OFAC sanctioned on March 2, 2026. In response to M23’s offensives, several competing armed groups have mobilized and engaged in destabilizing activities in the DRC.
Joseph Kabila served as President of the DRC from 2001 until 2019. Although his second term was scheduled to conclude in 2016, he extended his time in office for more than two years by unconstitutionally delaying elections. In 2025, he traveled to Goma, DRC, where he lived under the protection of M23. With the advent of AFC and M23’s renewed rebellion, Kabila has returned to the DRC with the intent to destabilize the DRC government through his support to M23 and AFC.
Kabila has provided financial support to the AFC in order to influence the political situation in eastern DRC. Kabila has encouraged Armed Forces of the DRC troops to defect and join AFC forces in eastern DRC in order to generate additional support for AFC.
“Treasury,” said Secretary Bessent, “will continue to use its full range of tools to support the integrity of the Washington Accords.”