KINSHASA, DRC — Former President Joseph Kabila has rejected new U.S. Treasury sanctions against him, calling the measures unjustified and politically motivated.
The United States imposed sanctions on Kabila last week, accusing him of providing financial support to the M23 rebel group, which has seized large areas of eastern DRC since 2021. The measures include freezing any assets Kabila may hold in the United States. Washington has stated the move is part of broader efforts to support peace and stability in the region, following a deal signed between the DRC and Rwanda last year.
In statements issued following the announcement, Kabila insisted there is no evidence to support the claims against him.
Kabila led the DRC from 2001 to 2019 before handing over power to his successor, Félix Tshisekedi. The two fell out in 2020 after a power-sharing deal collapsed. Kabila has been living in South Africa since 2023.
In early 2025, he visited the rebel-held city of Goma and expressed his intention to help find solutions to end the conflict between the government and the M23 rebels. That visit sparked anger from authorities in Kinshasa. He was later stripped of his immunity as a senator for life, and a military court has since charged him with treason and sentenced him to death in absentia.
The DRC government has welcomed the U.S. sanctions on Kabila, calling them an important step in the fight against impunity.
