RT-Engels: 19-02-2025,
The African state has accused Belgium of “unwarranted external interference,” which undermines regional efforts to settle the conflict in DR Congo
Rwanda has suspended a five-year cooperation agreement with Belgium, accusing it of taking sides in an ongoing armed conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and “politicizing development.”
The East African nation’s Foreign Ministry announced the decision on Tuesday after Belgium accused Kigali of supporting M23 rebels, who have seized two major cities in North and South Kivu provinces in renewed attacks against Congolese forces and peacekeepers. Thousands of people, including children, have been killed in the former Belgian colony in the fighting in recent weeks, according to the UN.
“Belgium has led an aggressive campaign, together with DRC, aiming to sabotage Rwanda’s access to development finance, including in multilateral institutions,” the ministry said in a statement.
“These efforts demonstrate that there is no longer a sound basis for development cooperation with Belgium. Accordingly, Rwanda is suspending the remainder of the 2024-2029 bilateral aid program,” it added.
According to the website of Brussels’ embassy in Kigali, Belgium’s budget for the assistance is €95 million ($99 million).
The decades-long conflict in DR Congo has strained relations between Kinshasa and Kigali. The Congolese government has repeatedly alleged that the neighboring state is providing support to the M23, one of several dozen militias vying for control of the eastern region’s rich mineral resources.