President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, has suspended development cooperation with Belgium, in the wake of the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo – DRC.
In a statement on February 18, the Rwandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations accused Belgium of leading an aggressive campaign, together with the DRC, aiming to sabotage Rwanda’s access to development finance, including in multilateral institutions.
The Ministry said the two countries have been engaging in this effort while the international community is being urged to support the mediation process mandated by the African Union and the Joint EAC-SADC Summit to resolve the crisis in Eastern DRC.
The Ministry stated that Belgium has the right to choose a side in the conflict but emphasized that politicizing development is entirely wrong.
“No country in the region should have its development finance jeopardized as a tool of leverage,” reads part of the statement.
Further, the Ministry stated that such one-sided measures constitute unwarranted external interference, which undermines the African-led mediation process and risks delaying the peaceful resolution of the conflict.
It explained that such measures have repeatedly failed to provide a solution in the past, only adding to the problems and deferring them to the future.
For this reason, Rwanda has suspended development cooperation with Belgium which was to run up to 2029.
“These efforts demonstrate that there is no longer a sound basis for development cooperation with Belgium. Accordingly, Rwanda is suspending the remainder of the 2024-2029 bilateral aid program with Belgium,” the Ministry said.
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Kagame Vows to Protect Rwanda
Additionally, the Ministry said Rwanda will not be bullied or blackmailed into compromising national security.
It emphasized that the country’s only aim is a secure border, and an irreversible end to the politics of violent ethnic extremism in the region.
The Ministry explained that Rwanda needs peace and a durable solution stating that no one should continue to tolerate the cycles of conflict which continually recur because of the failure of the DRC Government and the inter-national community for decades.
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DRC & International Community
According to Rwanda, DRC and internation community has failed to fulfil their commitments to dismantle the UN-sanctioned genocidal FDLR militia and protect minority rights.
Besides, the Ministry explained that development partnerships must be based on mutual respect adding that Rwanda has ensured maximum accountability for all the funding it receives.
“Maintaining mutual respect and fully supporting the AU/EAC/SADC mediation, is essential during these difficult moments for our region,” it stated.
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