“The first victims of the rupture between the two countries were the population and civil society organisations,” 11.11.11 told Belga. “But even they are cautious, awaiting the upcoming developments that will reveal whether this change is sustainable and contributes to peace in the region. The concern is that it might only be superficial, while the underlying hostility remains unchanged.”
One and a half years ago, Kigali severed diplomatic ties with our country. The regime of president Paul Kagame, in power since 2000, accused our country of siding against Rwanda in the conflict in eastern Rwanda’s neighbouring country, Congo.
At the European level, Belgium also supported sanctions against the Rwandan military leadership for their military and logistical support to the rebel movement M23, which still controls large parts of eastern Congo.
“We have agreed on the importance of a systematic dialogue, including on existing disagreements such as the conflict in eastern Congo,” said Prévot from New York. The minister stated that he will continue to defend Congo’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
In its response, 11.11.11 states that it will closely monitor Prévot’s commitment. “It remains to be seen whether Belgium will continue to take this critical stance in the future, both publicly and behind the scenes, even when it becomes politically uncomfortable or conflicts with strategic and economic interests.”
Researcher Bram Verelst (Institute for Security Studies) told AFP that there was “a clear mutual interest” in resuming dialogue. “The rupture, which Belgium never wanted, prevented it from playing a constructive role as facilitator in this conflict, and Belgium will now be able to resume that role.”
When Belgium re-establishes ties with Rwanda, it is mainly to avoid being sidelined from ongoing diplomatic efforts, also analysed by Liège-based professor Bob Kabamba for AFP. Qatar has its own diplomatic initiative underway, and the United States is also leading a mediation effort.
On Wednesday, Qatar emphasised that it mediated during the first diplomatic contacts between Belgium and Rwanda in June 2025. “Qatar also had an interest in a restoration, as a rival of the United States in Central Africa and in an attempt to improve its image in Europe,” added Kabamba.
A European diplomatic source in Kigali noted that the rupture came at a cost to Rwandans, including issues with visa procedures and lost jobs in development cooperation.
The initial translation of this content was generated by AI. All facts, context, and language have subsequently been verified and validated by a human editorial team.
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