The embassies of Belgium and Rwanda are set to reopen soon following the decision by both countries to restore diplomatic relations, which were severed in March 2025. The announcement was made on Tuesday, September 22, in a joint statement released on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
This decision follows several meetings and informal contacts between the Belgian and Rwandan foreign ministers over the past few months. According to the joint statement, these exchanges allowed the parties to address several points of divergence and “misunderstandings.”
Brussels and Kigali stated their intention to maintain an “open, frank, and transparent dialogue” to address their bilateral disputes and discuss their differences regarding certain international issues. Both countries also thanked Qatar for its mediation role in the process that led to the restoration of relations.
The Rwandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted a photo on the social network X showing Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot and his Rwandan counterpart, Olivier Nduhungirehe, shaking hands in front of the United Nations headquarters in New York.
Kigali had announced the rupture of its diplomatic relations with Brussels in March 2025, accusing Belgium of taking sides with Kinshasa in the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
At the time, Belgium had adopted a critical stance toward Rwanda, particularly following the M23 offensive in the eastern DRC. The rebel movement, whose military support by Rwanda has been documented and denounced by several international actors, had taken control of Goma, the capital of North Kivu, and then Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu, at the beginning of 2025.
Brussels had notably requested the European Union to consider sanctions against Kigali, accusing it of contributing to the violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC. The restoration of diplomatic relations comes as the issue of the conflict in the eastern DRC remains a major subject in relations between countries in the Great Lakes region.
Captured & Published at: 2026-09-23 14:08:46 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.2424.mg/relations-internationales-la-belgique-et-le-rwanda-retablissent-leurs-relations-diplomatiques-plus-dun-an-apres-les-avoir-rompues/