Rwanda’s Government has decided to cut diplomatic ties with Belgium over the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) conflict.
The Rwandese authorities said on March 17, all Belgian diplomats must leave Rwanda within 48 hours.
“The government of Rwanda today notified the government of Belgium of its decision to sever diplomatic relations, effective immediately,” the Rwandan foreign affairs ministry said on X.
“Rwanda’s decision has been taken after careful consideration of several factors, all linked with Belgium’s pitiful attempts to sustain its neocolonial delusions,” it said.
In a written statement, the Rwandan foreign affairs minister Vincent Biruta further justified the African country’s decisions saying that Belgium was working against Rwanda in the current DRC conflict.
“Belgium has undermined Rwanda, both well before and during the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo in which Belgium has a deep and violent historical role, especially acting against Rwanda,” the minister said.
Rwanda accused Belgium of “spreading lies and manipulation” to sustain “a hostile opinion of Rwanda”, he added.
RWANDA SEVERS DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH BELGIUM
The Government of Rwanda today notified the Government of Belgium of its decision to sever diplomatic relations, effective immediately. Rwanda’s decision has been taken after careful consideration of several factors, all linked… pic.twitter.com/Me6l13s4Bq
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Int'l Cooperation (@RwandaMFA) March 17, 2025
The move followed a speech by Rwandan President Paul Kagame on March 16 in which he accused Belgium of consistently working against Rwanda’s interests.
“One of the biggest problems we faced is that we were colonised by a small country like Belgium, which cut our country up so it can be small like it,” Kagame said.
“Belgians go to Kinshasa, point a finger at Rwanda and say they will impose sanctions on us and also mobilise the world against Rwanda,” he added.
As a response, Belgium has condemned Rwanda’s decision and said it would apply the same treatment to Rwanda’s officials in Belgium.
“Belgium regrets Rwanda’s decision to sever diplomatic relations with Belgium and to declare Belgian diplomats persona non grata,” said Maxime Prevot, Belgian foreign affairs minister said on March 17.
“This decision is disproportionate and illustrates that when we disagree with Rwanda, it prefers not to engage in dialogue,” he said on X.
“Belgium will take similar measures: summoning the acting Rwandan chargé d’affaires, declaring Rwandan diplomats persona non grata and denouncing our government cooperation agreements,” he added.
Also on March 17, the EU sanctioned nine people and a gold refinery in connection with a Rwanda-backed rebellion in the eastern DRC.
The EU sanctions come a day before peace talks were scheduled to begin in Angola between M23 rebels and the Congolese Government.
The sanctions targeted M23 political leader Bertrand Bisimwa and Rwandan army commanders. They were also applied to the chief executive of Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board and Gasabo Gold Refinery in Kigali, which the EU has accused of illicitly exporting natural resources from Congo.
The bloc alleged the individuals were responsible for “acts that constitute serious human rights violations and abuses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)”.
The tension between Rwanda, Belgium and the EU came amid growing international pressure over Rwanda’s alleged support for the M23 rebel group in Congo.
On February 24, Germany stopped new development aid to Rwanda because of the African nation’s alleged role in the conflict in the neighbouring DRC.
Pressure has been mounting on Rwanda and on March 14, the G7 foreign affairs ministers also condemned what it said were its actions in Congo.
“We condemned the Rwanda-backed M23 offensive in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the resulting violence, displacement and grave human rights and international humanitarian law violations” they wrote, adding that this constituted a “disregard of the territorial integrity of the DRC”.
Despite this, the EU has continued its economic ties with Rwanda.
The bloc has yet to repeal the EU-Rwanda raw material deal despite the European Parliament vote to suspend it on February 14.
Under the deal, the bloc would contribute up to €750 million to improve product traceability and mining sector sustainability in exchange for access to minerals.
MEPs also 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.
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. https://t.co/Nz4Aa5023Z
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) March 5, 2025
