The Belgian government has officially responded to Rwanda’s decision to suspend their 2024-2029 bilateral cooperation program, stating that it takes note of Kigali’s move while reaffirming its commitment to addressing the ongoing conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maxime Prévot, revealed that the European nation was already in the process of reviewing its cooperation with Rwanda due to Kigali’s alleged violation of the DRC’s territorial integrity.
“Following Rwanda’s violation of the territorial integrity of the DRC, we were in the process of reviewing our cooperation with a view to taking decisive measures in response to this situation,” Prévot stated.
Despite the suspension, Belgium has expressed its intent to ensure a professional process that safeguards the progress made through decades of collaboration, emphasizing that the Rwandan people should not suffer the consequences of political disagreements.
“We are committed to a professional suspension process that preserves the gains of our longstanding cooperation for the benefit of the Rwandan people,” Prévot added.
At the same time, Belgium reaffirmed its determination to mobilize international actors to push for a peaceful resolution to the DRC conflict based on international law. The Belgian government has been a vocal supporter of efforts to address insecurity in eastern DRC, where clashes between the Congolese military and armed groups, including the M23 rebels, have intensified.
Rwanda’s suspension of the aid program was in response to what it called Belgium’s “politicization of development aid” and its alleged attempt to restrict Rwanda’s access to multilateral funding. Kigali has accused Belgium of siding with the DRC in the ongoing crisis and undermining African-led mediation efforts led by the AU, EAC, and SADC.
The exchange of statements marks a growing diplomatic rift between Belgium and Rwanda, which has long been accused by both Kinshasa and Western governments of backing M23 rebels operating in eastern DRC—an allegation Kigali denies. The latest developments could further strain relations and impact broader international efforts to bring stability to the region.
