A British government minister has retracted claims linking Rwanda to the Ugandan terror group Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). Lord Ray Collins, the UK’s Minister for Africa, admitted to the error in a letter sent to Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe on February 28, 2025.
The controversy began after Lord Collins made the remarks in the House of Lords on February 25. The Rwandan government responded by accusing him of spreading “ignorance, confusion, and misinformation” regarding the situation in DR Congo. In his letter, Lord Collins clarified that the UK does not believe Rwanda is connected to the ADF, which has been linked to recent deadly attacks in eastern DR Congo.
The British High Commission in Kigali confirmed the minister’s retraction and stated that Lord Collins would also write to Lord Alton, who raised the question in the House of Lords, to correct the record. However, Rwanda’s foreign minister noted that the retraction did not include an official apology.
