DR Congo protests Formula 1’s ‘indefensible’ decision to race in Rwanda

Democratic Republic of the Congo Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner called Formula 1’s plan to stage a Grand Prix in Rwanda in the early 2030s “morally indefensible.” She said the event would help polish President Paul Kagame’s image, while Kinshasa, the United States and UN experts accuse Rwanda of backing M23 rebels in eastern DR Congo. The DRC supports South Africa’s competing bid and wants credible, independent guarantees that race funding will not involve conflict-linked minerals or the exploitation of Congolese resources. The planned circuit at Bugesera, near Kigali, would mark Formula 1’s return to Africa for the first time since 1993.