Rwanda suspends Belgium aid deal over interference

Rwanda has suspended its 2024-2029 development cooperation with Belgium, accusing the European country of interfering with regional peace efforts and politicising development finance.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation announced the decision on Tuesday, ="https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/entertainment/opinion/article/2001511911/why-conflict-in-eastern-drc-is-unlikely-to-end-soon-as-history-repeats-itself">citing Belgium’s actions alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)< to block Rwanda’s access to development funding, including from multilateral institutions.

"Belgium has made a political decision to choose a side in this conflict, which is its right, but politicising development is plainly wrong," said the ministry in a statement.

The ministry said Belgium had led an "aggressive campaign" with DRC to sabotage Rwanda’s development funding, describing the move as external interference that undermines an African-led mediation process to resolve the crisis in eastern DRC.

The mediation effort is being facilitated by the African Union, East African Community, and Southern African Development Community.

"No country in the region should have its development finance jeopardised as a tool of leverage," said the ministry in the statement.

 "Punitive, one-sided measures can only be construed as unwarranted external interference."

The statement warned that such measures risk delaying peace efforts in the region, where conflict has persisted for decades due to the presence of the FDLR militia, a group linked to Rwanda’s 1994 genocide.

"These efforts demonstrate that there is no longer a sound basis for development cooperation with Belgium," said the ministry.

"Rwanda will not be bullied or blackmailed into compromising national security."

Rwanda has repeatedly accused the DRC of failing to dismantle the FDLR, which Kigali views as a threat to its national security.

The suspended aid programme covered various development initiatives between 2024 and 2029.

"Development partnerships must be based on mutual respect, and Rwanda has made it a point to ensure maximum accountability for all the funding we receive," said the ministry in the statement.

The ministry added that Rwanda remains committed to peace in the region but will not tolerate actions it sees as undermining its security and development.