The executives of Belgium and Rwanda have confirmed an agreement to resume their diplomatic relations, interrupted in March 2025 by a decision from Kigali. The understanding was reached during a meeting held on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly, held in the American city of New York.
"I am pleased to announce today the restoration of diplomatic relations between Belgium and Rwanda," declared the Belgian Foreign Minister, Maxime Prevot, who emphasized that "in a world marked by increasing tensions, this is an important message from New York, the headquarters of the United Nations, that embodies multilateralism and dialogue above our differences."
The head of Belgian diplomacy described the announcement as "the culmination of a process of frank conversations with my counterpart and the result of a shared and respectful effort" and stated on social media that he is "convinced" of the possibility of "establishing a positive, mutually beneficial agenda for citizens and based on the richness of our interpersonal relationships."
In this context, he defended "a systematic dialogue even on the points of disagreement that persist, such as the conflict in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)," an issue that led Kigali to sever its ties with Brussels by accusing Belgium of supporting Kinshasa in the war.
The minister pointed out that "restoring diplomatic relations between states does not mean giving up our position, but having structured dialogue channels. For my part, I will continue to defend the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the DRC."
His Rwandan counterpart, Olivier Nduhungirehe, also ratified the decision and indicated that this gesture "should open a new era of constructive dialogue, with a spirit of mutual respect," while at the same time calling to "address the root causes" of the conflict in the east of the DRC to move towards a lasting solution.
Nduhungirehe emphasized that "respect for the territorial integrity of all countries in the region," along with action against the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) -- founded by extremist Hutus who fled after the genocide of 1994 in Rwanda -- and the resolution of the confrontation between Congolese forces and the rebel group March 23 Movement (M23), backed by Kigali, is "key" to achieving regional stability.