Despite its poverty and tiny size, Rwanda runs a highly sophisticated disinformation and propaganda campaign using a range of social media platforms to manicure its image and intimidate journalists, human rights campaigners, and critics both at home and abroad.
Since the capture of the regional capitals of Goma and Bukavu in the Democratic Republic of Congo at the start of 2025 by the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group, the social media campaign has been extended into Eastern DRC.
Using AI-generated account profiles and bots for maximum impact, a cross-border network run by Rwandan intelligence, but taking orders from President Paul Kagame's personal office, seeks to impose its narrative.
As U.S.-mediated peace talks overseen by envoy Massad Boulos drag on, failing to make significant impact on the ground in Eastern DRC, Rwanda's disinformation and propaganda campaign is becoming ever more aggressive and ever more divorced from the reality on the ground.
