By Spy Uganda
Rwanda has decided to suspend its development cooperation programme with Belgium, the Rwandan Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday. The Rwandan government accuses Belgium of taking sides in the conflict in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Belgium has repeatedly called in recent weeks for the territorial integrity of the DRC to be respected and for sanctions against Rwanda to be tightened. The African country is backing the M23 rebel group, which is gaining ground in eastern Congo. Just this weekend, the rebels entered the city of Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province.
Rwanda sees things differently. The country, which denies supporting the M23, says Belgium is waging an “aggressive campaign” to block access to development funding, including from multilateral institutions. According to Rwanda, the Belgian stance is also undermining ongoing mediation efforts.
As a result, Rwanda has decided to suspend the 2024-2029 bilateral aid programme between the two countries. In Tuesday’s statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that development partnerships must be based on mutual respect, and that it considers Belgium’s stance as unwarranted interference in regional affairs.
Belgium Takes Note
Reacting to the news on social media, Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation Minister Maxime Prévot said Belgium “takes note” of Rwanda’s decision.
“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.”
The minister stressed that Belgium will handle the suspension process professionally, to preserve the gains of the programme for the Rwandan people. Prévot also said Belgium will continue to search for a peaceful solution to the conflict, based on international law.
Belgium is not the only country to call for sanctions against Rwanda. Earlier this month, a resolution in the European Parliament called for the suspension of the controversial agreement on rare minerals, and an end to European aid to the country.
