Rwanda and Belgium have agreed to restore diplomatic relations, 18 months after Kigali cut ties over disagreements linked to the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The two countries announced the decision on Tuesday, September 22, in a joint statement signed by Rwanda's Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe and Belgium's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot. This decision will lead to the reopening of the two countries' embassies.
The diplomatic relations between Rwanda and Belgium were severed on March 17, 2025, when Kigali accused Belgium of taking sides in the conflict in eastern Congo and of mobilising against Rwanda internationally. Belgium rejected the allegations and called Rwanda's decision disproportionate. Brussels responded by expelling Rwandan diplomats and ending bilateral government cooperation agreements. The dispute came as fighting involving the AFC-M23 rebel movement and DR Congo government was intensifying in eastern Congo.
The path back to diplomatic relations began with contacts between the two foreign ministers. Rwanda and Belgium said their ministers held a series of meetings and informal contacts over recent months. They credited Qatar with facilitating their first meeting in Doha in June 2025. Belgian Foreign Minister Prévot later confirmed that Qatar had helped bring the two ministers together in Doha, allowing both sides to explain their positions and disagreements in a constructive atmosphere.
The new agreement does not mean Rwanda and Belgium have resolved all their disagreements. The joint statement explicitly acknowledges that differences and divergent positions remain. Instead, the two governments agreed to use dialogue to manage those differences. They committed themselves to non-interference, mutual respect and constructive engagement. They also agreed to maintain an "open, candid and transparent dialogue."
The restoration of diplomatic relations does not amount to an agreement on the underlying regional conflict. It reopens the diplomatic channels through which those disagreements can be managed. In June 2026, Prévot reiterated Belgium's position that Belgium supported implementation of the Washington agreement, including the neutralisation of the Rwandan FDLR militia.
Under the agreement, the diplomatic missions will first reopen with limited staffing. Each will be headed by a chargé d'affaires ad interim, supported by a diplomat or consular officer and a small technical team. Ambassadors will be appointed later, after the two governments complete the agrément process. The arrangement also means Rwanda's ambassador to Belgium will serve as its representative to the European Union.
The restoration could therefore have significance beyond the bilateral relationship. Belgium is an EU member and has been one of the more vocal European governments on the conflict in eastern Congo. The return of formal diplomatic channels gives Kigali and Brussels a direct mechanism for discussing both bilateral issues and their differing positions on regional affairs.
Key points
- Rwanda and Belgium have restored diplomatic relations after an 18-month break.
- The two countries had disagreements linked to the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
- The restoration of diplomatic relations does not mean Rwanda and Belgium have resolved all their disagreements.
