Rwanda has officially cut diplomatic ties with Belgium, accusing the European country of repeatedly undermining it amid the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo).
Belgium has been at the forefront of efforts to push for European sanctions against Rwanda, citing its alleged support for M23, the rebel group heavily involved in DR Congo’s crisis.
As a result, Rwandan authorities have ordered Belgian diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours.
Belgium, which once ruled Rwanda as a colonial power, has called the decision an overreaction and promised to issue a response.
While both the UN and the US have accused Rwanda of backing M23, Kigali has strongly denied any involvement.
In its statement on Monday, Kigali accused Brussels of attempting to “sustain its neo-colonial delusions”.
“Belgium has clearly taken sides in a regional conflict and continues to systematically mobilise against Rwanda in different forums, using lies and manipulation to secure an unjustified hostile opinion of Rwanda, in an attempt to destabilise both Rwanda and the region,” the statement said.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot responded to Rwanda’s measures on social media, saying: “This is disproportionate and shows that when we disagree with Rwanda they prefer not to engage in dialogue.”
Prevot said Rwandan diplomats in Belgium will be declared “persona non grata”.
When a diplomatic declaration is issued, it can strip individuals of their official status, often leading to their expulsion or a refusal to recognize their roles.
Since the beginning of this year, fighting between the M23 rebels and the DR Congo’s military in the eastern region has caused around 7,000 deaths, according to Congolese authorities. The conflict has also displaced more than 850,000 people, as reported by UNICEF, with violence escalating significantly since January.
In the past two months, the M23 rebels have seized control of two major cities, Goma and Bukavu. In response to the situation, Britain has reduced its financial aid to Rwanda as a way to pressure the country to stop supporting the M23 rebels.
Last month, the UN Security Council called for an end to M23’s attacks and demanded that Rwanda withdraw its troops from DR Congo. Meanwhile, Rwandan President Paul Kagame promised that his nation would stand firm against Belgium before Kigali officially cut ties with Brussels.
“We would ask [Belgium]: ‘Who are you by the way? Who put you in charge of us?’ Rwandans believe in God, but did God really put these people in charge of Rwanda?” Kagame asked in an address on Sunday.