In a statement released Monday, Rwanda‘s foreign ministry said, “The Government of Rwanda today notified the Government of Belgium of its decision to sever diplomatic relations, effective immediately.”
Belgium immediately slammed the move as “disproportionate” and expelled all Rwandan diplomats from the European country.
“Belgium regrets the decision of Rwanda to cut off diplomatic relations with Belgium and to declare Belgium’s diplomats persona non grata,” Belgium’s Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said on X.
“This is disproportionate and shows that when we disagree with Rwanda they prefer not to engage in dialogue,” said Prevot.
The latest diplomatic spat came as the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday said it will participate in peace talks in Angola set for Tuesday with the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group that has advanced in Congo’s mineral-rich east.
The M23 rebel group has also sent a delegation to Luanda, the group’s spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka said on X Monday.
The conflict in eastern Congo escalated in January when the Rwanda-backed rebels advanced and seized terrain in the DR Congo‘s mineral-rich east.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and Reuters)
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