Speaking during a virtual press briefing following his regional tour, which included Rwanda, DR Congo, Kenya, and Uganda, Boulos said the FDLR, a group founded by the masterminds of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, featured prominently in his conversation with Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

“We definitely discussed the FDLR and the risk in question,” Boulos said on April 17, during the briefing on the outcomes of his African mission, which ended three days earlier.

“This is a major element of any peace accord. If you look at all the peace initiatives, this is the key element from the Rwandan side and it’s an integral part of any upcoming peace accord, initiative or agreement.”

The FDLR is designated a terrorist organisation by both the United Nations and the United States. Despite its history and ongoing human rights abuses, it remains a key part of the Congolese government’s military coalition against the AFC/M23 rebels, who currently control significant territory in the eastern provinces.

The rebels accuse the Congolese authorities of marginalisation and of promoting ethnic cleansing through their alliance with the FDLR and other militias.

For years, Kigali has raised alarm over Kinshasa’s collaboration with the FDLR, whose fighters have been implicated in numerous attacks on Rwandan territory, including nearly 20 incidents since 2018. In response, Rwanda has tightened security along its borders to prevent further incursions.

Tensions between the two neighbours escalated further following statements by Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi in late 2023, in which he threatened to support regime change in Rwanda and said he would seek parliamentary approval to declare war.

Boulos confirmed that the Trump administration is engaging both sides and supports regional efforts to resolve the crisis peacefully.

“We’ve been engaging with both parties and this is one of the main elements of those discussions,” he said. “There are solutions – we are not reinventing the wheel here. There are terms that have previously been drafted and agreed upon by both parties, and we will continue working with them towards that.”

He reiterated Washington’s support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states involved.

“Our role and commitment is to ensure sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries in question—not just one country or two, but all that are involved,” Boulos said.

“Everybody has to be at ease and feel comfortable with the terms and safe from any such threats, whether they are actual or perceived or any future threats.”

While in Kigali on April 8, Boulos held talks with President Kagame at Urugwiro Village, where they discussed strengthening U.S.–Rwanda ties and advancing regional peace.

“We are ready to work with Rwanda to achieve this goal, which is why finding a resolution to the conflict in eastern DRC is so essential—it will unlock the region’s untapped potential,” he said.

During his Rwanda visit, Boulos toured the Mutobo Demobilisation Centre, which reintegrates former armed group members.

He spoke with ex-FDLR fighters recently repatriated from eastern Congo, including Maj. Ndayambaje Gilbert, who returned on March 1. Ndayambaje confirmed the FDLR’s strong collaboration with Congolese forces in the ongoing war with the AFC/M23 coalition.

Boulos’s tour included stops in Uganda and Kenya, where he met with Presidents Yoweri Museveni and William Ruto respectively, as well as a meeting with President Tshisekedi in Kinshasa.

Massad Boulos, US President Donald Trump’s Senior Advisor for Africa, speaks at a news briefing in Kigali on April 8.