Rwanda has suspended its 2024-2029 bilateral aid program with Belgium, citing Brussels’ efforts to block its access to development finance and its leading role in pushing for European Union sanctions over alleged support for the M23 rebellion in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Kigali accused Belgium of using development finance as a political tool and undermining African-led efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict in eastern DRC. The Rwandan government criticized what it described as Belgium’s decision to take sides in the conflict and emphasized that no country in the region should have its development funding threatened as a means of leverage.
Belgium, which formerly ruled both Rwanda and the DRC as a colonial power, has taken a leading role in advocating for penalties against Rwanda. It has actively pushed for EU sanctions and the suspension of military aid, citing Kigali’s alleged support for M23 rebels.
Diplomatic sources indicate that Brussels is also lobbying for the suspension of the EU-Rwanda minerals agreement, a deal signed in February 2024 granting the European Union access to Rwanda’s critical raw materials used in microchips and electric vehicles. The agreement, which faced strong opposition from DRC President Félix Tshisekedi, provides the EU with access to tin, tungsten, gold, niobium, and potentially lithium and rare earth elements. Rwanda is the world’s largest extractor of tantalum, a rare metal essential for chemical and electronic equipment.
Under the agreement, the EU had committed €900 million to support Rwanda’s infrastructure, raw materials sector, health programs, and climate resilience efforts as part of its Global Gateway Initiative, an economic strategy positioned as a €300 billion alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
As allegations grow that Rwanda is using M23 rebels to control and exploit DRC’s mineral wealth, Belgian Foreign Minister Bernard Quintin recently suggested that diplomatic warnings alone were insufficient and that economic measures should be used to pressure Kigali.
During a visit to Morocco, Quintin emphasized the need for concrete action, arguing that Europe had the means to influence Rwanda and should decide how to use them. His stance has gained traction within EU institutions, with Belgian MEP Hilde Vautmans, who leads the European Parliament’s EU-Africa delegation, advocating for immediate sanctions. She has called for targeted measures against Rwandan leaders, a freeze on EU development aid, and the suspension of the EU-Rwanda minerals agreement.
Tensions between Belgium and Rwanda had already been escalating before this latest standoff. In 2023, Belgium refused to accredit a new Rwandan ambassador, citing allegations of his involvement in persecuting political opponents. In response, Rwanda declined to appoint a replacement, leaving the position vacant.
Rwanda’s Response
Rwanda has firmly rejected accusations that it is exploiting DRC’s resources, maintaining that its primary concern in eastern Congo is national security and the neutralization of the FDLR militia, which it holds responsible for the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.
Kigali has insisted that it will not be intimidated or coerced into compromising its security and that its only goal is to maintain stability and put an end to ethnic extremism in the region. The government also stressed that development partnerships should be based on mutual respect and accountability.
However, with increasing pressure from European nations and Belgium leading calls for tougher sanctions, Rwanda’s diplomatic and economic standing in Europe is at risk. EU foreign ministers are already debating punitive actions, and the fate of the EU-Rwanda minerals agreement remains uncertain. If Brussels moves forward with suspending the deal, it would deal a significant economic blow to Rwanda, which has positioned itself as a key supplier of critical minerals in Africa.