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Rwanda has officially severed diplomatic ties with Belgium, accusing its former colonial power of undermining its sovereignty and taking sides in the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo). The decision, announced on Monday, March 17, 2025, comes amid growing tensions between the two nations over Belgium’s calls for European sanctions against Rwanda.
The Rwandan government has ordered Belgian diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours, stating that Brussels has been “consistently mobilizing against Rwanda in different forums” and attempting to manipulate international opinion. The dispute centers around Belgium’s accusations that Rwanda is backing the M23 rebel group, which has been at the heart of the crisis in eastern DR Congo.
In a strongly worded statement, Rwanda denounced Belgium’s stance, accusing it of trying to maintain “neo-colonial delusions.”
“Belgium has clearly taken sides in a regional conflict and continues to systematically mobilize against Rwanda… in an attempt to destabilize both Rwanda and the region,” the statement read.
Belgium has reacted sharply to Rwanda’s decision, calling it “disproportionate.” Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot announced that Rwandan diplomats in Belgium will be declared “persona non grata”, meaning they could be expelled or stripped of diplomatic status.
Prevot criticized Rwanda’s refusal to engage in dialogue, stating, “This is disproportionate and shows that when we disagree with Rwanda, they prefer not to engage in dialogue.”
The diplomatic fallout occurs as fighting intensifies in eastern DR Congo, where the M23 rebels have captured key cities, including Goma and Bukavu. The UN and the US have accused Rwanda of providing military support to the M23, a claim Kigali has repeatedly denied.
Since the beginning of the year, over 7,000 people have been killed, and more than 850,000 civilians have been displaced, according to the Congolese government and UNICEF.
In response to Rwanda’s alleged involvement, the UK has cut some of its aid to Kigali, and last month, the UN Security Council demanded Rwanda withdraw its troops from DR Congo.
Despite this pressure, Rwandan President Paul Kagame has remained defiant, questioning Belgium’s authority over Rwanda.
“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 said in a speech on Sunday.
