The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has criticised Formula One’s decision to stage an African Grand Prix in Rwanda, warning that the event could improve the international image of President Paul Kagame despite allegations of Kigali’s involvement in the conflict in eastern Congo.
Congolese Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner said on Thursday that allowing Rwanda to host the race would be morally indefensible, arguing that it could provide a platform for an authoritarian leader accused of contributing to a devastating war in her country.
Rwandan President Kagame announced the planned race on Tuesday alongside Formula One Chief Executive Stefano Domenicali and International Automobile Federation (FIA) President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
According to Formula One, the Grand Prix will take place at a circuit yet to be constructed in Bugesera, near Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, in the early 2030s.
The announcement would mark Formula One’s return to Africa for the first time since 1993.
The DRC, the United States and United Nations experts have accused Rwanda of supporting M23 rebels operating in eastern Congo. Rwanda has denied wrongdoing, maintaining that its security measures are intended to protect the country from threats posed by armed groups across its border.
In a statement, Kayikwamba Wagner said she had warned Domenicali and Formula One authorities in February 2025 against allowing Rwanda to host the event.
“(The DRC) welcomes Formula 1’s return to Africa, but giving Paul Kagame this platform would help polish the image of an authoritarian leader whose government has helped fuel a devastating war in our country,” she said.
The foreign minister urged Formula One to reconsider its choice of host country, saying Congo supported competing efforts by South Africa to bring the race to the continent.
She also called on the sport’s organisers to ensure that the event would not be financed through proceeds linked to conflict minerals or the exploitation of Congolese natural resources.
“This is also an opportunity for F1 to show its audiences and supporters what the sport truly stands for,” she said, adding that credible and independent safeguards were necessary to prevent money associated with the conflict from funding the event.
Formula One defended its decision, saying it had a long record of generating economic, social and cultural benefits for host countries.
In a statement, the organisation said sport could serve as a force for positive change and unity, adding that it expected the planned African Grand Prix to have a positive impact.
It also said it ensured that its standards, values and integrity were upheld by promoters and partners wherever races were held.
The dispute comes amid previous objections by Congo to Rwanda’s efforts to enhance its international profile through sports, including high-profile sponsorship agreements with leading European football clubs.
In March, the United States imposed sanctions on Rwanda’s military and four senior officers over their alleged support for M23 rebels in eastern Congo.
Rwanda rejected the sanctions, describing them as one-sided and arguing that they misrepresented the conflict.
The planned Grand Prix has therefore opened a fresh diplomatic dispute over the intersection of international sport, political image-building and the ongoing security crisis in eastern Congo.
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