President Paul Kagame has ordered all European diplomats to leave Rwanda within 48 hours, accusing them of undermining the country and unfairly blaming it for the ongoing war in eastern Congo.
In a statement on Monday, Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the immediate severance of diplomatic relations with Belgium.
“The government of Rwanda today notified the government of Belgium of its decision to sever diplomatic relations, effective immediately,” the statement read.
Kagame Accuses Europe of Meddling
President Kagame’s decision follows his claims that Belgium and other European nations have been actively pushing for international sanctions against Rwanda. He accused them of falsely implicating Rwanda in the Congo conflict and mobilizing global powers to punish his country.
Kagame said, “Now, what you see happening every day, the accusations they throw at us, in Kinyarwanda, we call it gukoronga—constant insults and attacks. They talk about the war in Congo, first making it Rwanda’s war, and then claiming that Rwanda supports it.”
The Rwandan leader did not hold back in his criticism of Belgium, calling its actions “shameless.” He accused Belgian officials of fueling tensions by pointing fingers at Rwanda while meeting leaders in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
He said, “Belgians go to Kinshasa and point a finger towards Rwanda and say they will impose sanctions on us and also mobilize the world against Rwanda. They are shameless. Mobilizing the world against Rwanda, with our small size? They should leave us alone.”
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Belgium and Other Western Nations Respond
Belgium reacted swiftly to Rwanda’s decision, calling it an extreme measure that showed President Kagame’s unwillingness to resolve disagreements diplomatically.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Belgium regrets the decision of Rwanda to cut off diplomatic relations with Belgium and to declare Belgium’s diplomats persona non grata. This is disproportionate and shows that when we disagree with Rwanda, they prefer not to engage in dialogue.”
This latest diplomatic fallout adds to the growing tension between Rwanda and Western nations over the conflict in eastern Congo. Earlier in March, Germany suspended financial aid to Rwanda after a United Nations report accused thousands of Rwandan troops of fighting alongside the M23 rebels in Congo. The United States and the United Kingdom had also previously cut aid to Rwanda over similar concerns.
However, President Kagame’s administration has repeatedly denied any involvement in the Congo conflict. The Rwandan government insists that the accusations are baseless and politically motivated.