For the second time in a month, the Belgian government has found itself playing catch up to a small Central African nation that appears not to give a damn.
Rwanda on Monday, March 17, gave Belgian diplomats 48 hours to leave Kigali, leaving the European nation playing diplomatic catch up with its otherwise "basement adversary".
Like it happened in February when Rwanda suspended its long-standing development cooperation with its former colonial masters instead of the other way round, Belgium found itself caught flatfooted by Kigali administration again on Monday.
Maxime Prevot, deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, European affairs and development cooperation, said his his country "regrets the decision of Rwanda to cut off diplomatic relations with Belgium and to declare Belgium’s diplomats persona non grata".
As if no irony was lost on Belgium after pushing for dire sanctions against Rwanda over the war in DR Congo for which it blames the Kigali administration, the European nation accused Rwanda of not engaging in dialogue.
"This is disproportionate and shows that when we disagree with Rwanda they prefer not to engage in dialogue," Prevot said.
Caught two steps lagging, Belgium said it will take similar measures: the convocation of the Rwandan chargé d’affaires, declaring Rwanda’s diplomats persona non grata and denouncing governmental cooperation agreements.
In a strongly worded statement, Rwanda on Monday accused Belgium of persistently undermining its sovereignty, both in the past and in the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo).
The Rwandan government claimed Belgium has played a "deep and violent historical role" in the conflict, particularly in actions targeting Rwanda.
"Belgium has clearly taken sides in a regional conflict and continues to systematically mobilize against Rwanda in different forms, using lies and manipulation to secure an unjustified hostile opinion of Rwanda, in an attempt to destabilize both Rwanda and the region," the statement reads.
Rwanda further accused Belgium of allowing its territory to be used by groups that promote genocide denial and perpetuate what Kigali described as "genocidal ideology."
The government linked Belgium’s actions to its colonial past, calling its alleged interference an extension of "pitiful attempts to sustain its neocolonial delusions."
The decision to cut ties was framed as an effort to protect Rwanda’s national interests, uphold sovereignty, and ensure the dignity of its citizens.
All Belgian diplomats in Rwanda have been given 48 hours to leave the country. However, the Rwandan government assured compliance with the Vienna Convention, pledging to protect the Belgian embassy premises, property, and archives.
The move is expected to have wider implications for diplomatic relations between Rwanda and European nations, especially amid increasing scrutiny of Rwanda’s role in the DR Congo conflict.
Since 1962, Belgium has been a key development partner for Rwanda, contributing to sectors such as health, agriculture, education, urban development, and social protection.