Gambiaj.com – (BRUSSELS, Belgium) – Rwanda has officially severed diplomatic relations with Belgium, accusing Brussels of siding against it in the ongoing conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The move triggered immediate retaliation from Belgium, marking a complete diplomatic breakdown between the two nations.

In a statement on Monday, Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation announced that Belgian diplomats had been given 48 hours to leave Kigali. The decision, it said, was due to Belgium’s “consistent undermining” of Rwanda during the escalating conflict in eastern DRC.

“The Government of Rwanda today notified the Government of Belgium of its decision to sever diplomatic relations, effective immediately,” the statement read.

Brussels responded in kind, expelling Rwandan diplomats from Belgium and formally suspending diplomatic agreements between the two countries. Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot expressed regret over the development, calling Rwanda’s decision “disproportionate” and lamenting Kigali’s unwillingness to engage in dialogue.

Diplomatic Fallout and International Sanctions

The rupture in relations comes just a day after Rwandan President Paul Kagame accused Belgium of pushing for international sanctions against Kigali over its alleged role in the eastern DRC conflict.

On Monday, the European Union imposed sanctions on three senior Rwandan military commanders and the head of Kigali’s state mining agency, citing their involvement in supporting the M23 rebel group in DRC. The EU’s foreign ministers also discussed adding nine more Rwandan officials to the sanctions list for their role in the conflict.

The three sanctioned military figures reportedly lead Rwanda’s special forces and two divisions accused of deploying troops to support M23 rebels in eastern DRC, according to the EU’s official journal.

Rwanda has consistently denied backing M23, arguing that the conflict is driven by Kinshasa’s collaboration with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a group Kigali accuses of targeting Congolese Tutsi communities and Rwandan Tutsi refugees who fled during the 1994 genocide.

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Germany have also imposed sanctions on Rwandan officials for similar reasons earlier this month.

Escalating Conflict in Eastern DRC

The diplomatic fallout coincides with a surge in violence in the mineral-rich eastern DRC, where M23 rebels have launched their largest offensive since January. The armed group has seized key cities in North Kivu and South Kivu, deepening instability in the region.

A recent United Nations report claims that Rwanda has around 4,000 troops operating in DRC and that Kigali effectively controls the M23 group—allegations Rwanda vehemently rejects.

With tensions running high and sanctions piling up, Rwanda’s diplomatic rift with Belgium signals a broader deterioration of its international standing as pressure mounts over its alleged role in the spiraling DRC conflict.