Germany has decided to stop new development aid to Rwanda because of the African nation’s role in the conflict in the neighbouring country, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
“Germany will further restrict the scope of its bilateral co-operation with Rwanda. In particular, we will suspend new financial commitments,” the German development ministry announced on March 4.
It also announced it would review existing co-operation with the Rwandan government in the field of development co-operation.
Germany condemned Rwanda for its role backing the M23 rebels in Congo, who captured the cities of Goma and Bukavu, which are trading and transport hubs for metals and minerals.
“We utterly condemn these actions, which are a violation of the ceasefire based on the Luanda Process and a violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” the ministry said.
Following the announcement from Berlin, Rwanda‘s foreign ministry said Germany’s action was “wrong and counterproductive”.
“Countries like Germany that bear a historical responsibility for the recurring instability in this region should know better than to apply one-sided, coercive measures,” the Rwandan ministry said late on March 4.
Germany has become the first European Union member state to suspend aid to Rwanda amid the DRC conflict.
Despite its move, the European Union continued to foster economic and diplomatic ties with Rwanda.
On February 13, the European Parliament voted to suspend an EU-Rwanda raw material deal and called on the European Commission to freeze direct budget support for Rwanda until it allowed humanitarian access to the crisis areas and broke all links with M23.
Following the vote, left-wing MEP Marc Botenga, a member of the Left group in the European Parliament, stated: “Europe can no longer be complicit in war crimes in Eastern Congo.”
Despite the MEPs’ pressure, the commission resisted the call to suspend the deal.
The EU-Rwanda Deal is an agreement under which the bloc would contribute up to €750 million to improve product traceability and mining sector sustainability in exchange for access to minerals.
On February 24, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced the deal “was under review” without giving specific details but refused to suspend it.
“We have urged Rwanda to withdraw its troops, and the Memorandum of Understanding regarding critical raw materials will be under review,” she said.
The commission’s apparent hesitation to cut ties with the small African country seemed to stem from the fact that Rwanda’s raw materials are badly needed to help achieve the EC’s “green” transition goals.
Still, the EC’s ties with Rwanda are deeper than the raw materials deal.
In 2023, it pledged millions of euros to Rwanda. According to the commission, Europe has invested almost €320 million in sustainable, climate-proof cities, including urban mobility and an estimated €100 million in inclusive pre-primary education in Rwanda.
Under Europe’s worldwide investment programme the Global Gateway initiative, the EU has in total invested more than €900 million in the African country.
