Rwanda support to Mozambique demonstrates that African lives matter

The narratives of those who spend their time intriguing against Rwanda’s intervention in Mozambique have one common denominator: the lives of Africans and of the people of Cabo Delgado in particular is not a priority.

To the contrary, Rwanda believes that the right to live with dignity is a basic human right, and its commitment to make its modest contribution to ensure this right for all Africans has led to participation in peacekeeping missions in many countries, as well as military, humanitarian or strategic interventions in various forms in solidarity with Africans in different parts of the continent. Rwanda believes and cherishes Pan Africanism.

Before I go any further, some ground clearing is important. This piece is not in any way intended to tout Rwanda’s contributions or solidarity with fellow Africans in an attempt to seek self-promotion or make comparisons. Rwanda’s culture favors modesty and loathe gloating about aid, and unlike some narcissists who insist in defining themselves as “donor countries”, it would feel awkward talking about Rwanda’s acts of solidarity, if it were not to repel cynic assertions that portray Rwanda’s security forces as mere mercenaries in a French money grubbing gas project in Mozambique.

In 2009, Rwanda government allocated about US $ 1 million towards making good Burundi’s share to the EAC budget for financial years 2007 - 2009. It was Rwanda’s first time providing financial assistance to another country. In addition, in January 2013, when fire broke in the central market in Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi, the Burundian authorities requested Rwanda to help extinguish the fire, and Rwanda Defense Forces (RDF) deployed helicopters to put out the fire. These actions are a symbol of what solidarity should be about amongst African countries. It is the Pan African spirit.

Similarly, there is an episode that is barely evoked in the media. When Uganda was confronted with insurgency in 1995, Museveni feared attacks on Uganda’s cities of Kampala and Jinja by Joseph Kony's Lord Resistance Army. He urgently asked Rwanda's military assistance to secure key installations in Entebbe, Jinja and Kampala for a year. A large contingent of Rwandan soldiers was dispatched to secure the Entebbe airport, the vital radar at Nsamizi, and Owen falls dam in Jinja and some major factories.

In the same spirit, following a massive and very deadly suicide bomber explosion in Somalia’s capital which killed more than 300 and wounded over 600 others in November 2017, the government of Rwanda sent a consignment of medical relief which comprised varied medical supplies weighing 10 tones.  The delivery note indicated that the donation was “a humble contribution to Somalia's efforts to rebuild the health system.” The official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation who delivered the donation stated that, “Rwanda is also ready to share experience with Somalia in many areas including of public order and health among others.”

In March 2018, the Government of Rwanda offered US $ 1 million support to G5 Sahel countries’ joint force in their fight against terrorist groups linked to Al Qaeda and Islamic State. The AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat said in a statement that Rwanda’s contribution was,  “a strong expression of solidarity with the G5 Sahel countries in their fight against terrorism.”

Rwanda’s financial contribution was immediately made available, and in addition to that, Rwanda pledged to provide in-kind support to the Sahel joint force. Rwanda did not provide financial support because it is a rich country, but for humanitarian reasons and solidarity with those in need.

Africans are not expendables

Slavery and colonialism made Africans’ psychic often believe that African lives are expendables, and their only worth is in being used to serve western imperialist policies and interests. Hence, in 2021, some self-hating Africans parrot the foolish biases of the western media to voice skepticism about Rwanda's military support for Mozambique as a means of securing French interests.

Africans absolutely have a very long journey in front of them to free themselves from this colonial mindset that measures their humanity only through their relationship with the West. Solidarity amongst Africans need not and should not – warrant a regression to the narratives of servitude to western powers.

The African wisdom of Ubuntu which preaches to always put human lives and their welfare at the centre of all things, will always be a mark of Rwanda’s policy and solidarity towards African brothers and sisters. This stand is opposed to braggart donors without modesty, ethics, and principles, who utilize aid as a tool of pressure on those they disrespectfully describe as “impoverished.”