Resumption of diplomatic relations

Belgium and Rwanda agreed on 22 September 2026 to restore diplomatic relations following an 18-month breakdown. The announcement was made in New York on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly by Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot and Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe. Under the agreement, both nations will reopen their respective embassies in the near future. The diplomatic missions will initially be led by a chargé d'affaires before formal ambassador appointments are submitted for approval.

The joint declaration confirmed a mutual commitment to direct engagement between Kigali and Brussels.

“Restoring diplomatic relations between states does not mean renouncing our positions, but having structured channels of dialogue.”

Background to the March 2025 rupture

Relations broke down completely on 17 March 2025 when Rwandan authorities severed ties with Belgium and gave Belgian diplomats 48 hours to leave Kigali. The decision followed Belgium's refusal to grant diplomatic agrément to Rwanda's designated ambassador, Vincent Karega, and its vocal support for European Union sanctions. On 18 February 2025, Rwanda had already suspended bilateral development cooperation with Belgium over what it characterized as Brussels taking sides in the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The diplomatic crisis unfolded alongside an escalation in North Kivu and South Kivu, where the rebel group M23 seized the provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu. The DRC government reported in February 2025 that 7,000 people were killed and 450,000 displaced during the offensive. Belgium, which ruled Rwanda from 1916 until Rwandan independence in 1962, condemned Kigali over its alleged backing of M23, an accusation that Rwanda denies.

Qatar mediation and the path to rapprochement

The breakthrough followed preliminary negotiations facilitated by Qatar in Doha in June 2025. Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Majed al-Ansari stated that Doha hosted the initial encounter between the two foreign ministries, creating a platform for subsequent discussions. In their joint declaration, both governments credited Qatar for arranging that first ministerial meeting.

Rwandan officials noted that the restoration of diplomatic channels should foster structured cooperation while addressing persistent regional security challenges.

“Respect for the territorial integrity of all countries in the region, the neutralization of the FDLR, and resolving the conflict in the Kivus by addressing the root causes are necessary to ensure lasting peace.”

Disagreements over eastern Congo persist

Despite the reconciliation, neither nation has altered its substantive foreign policy positions regarding the conflict in the Great Lakes region. European Union sanctions targeting Rwandan military figures, M23 leaders, and illicit mineral traders remain in effect. Maxime Prévot stated that Belgium will continue to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC while urging adherence to the Doha and Washington diplomatic tracks.

Meanwhile, Rwandan officials maintain demands for action against the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an armed group formed by Hutu extremists who fled after the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. Both sides emphasized that keeping open channels of communication is necessary to manage these unresolved disputes.