Belgium and Rwanda have resumed diplomatic relations following a “process of frank discussions,” Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot announced Tuesday.
A joint statement with Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe and his Belgian counterpart Maxime Prevot confirmed the resumption of ties after agreeing on the importance of “systematic dialogue, including on remaining points of disagreement, such as the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo).”
“In accordance with Article 2 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the two countries jointly decided on September 22, 2026, to re-establish diplomatic relations. To this end, their respective bilateral embassies will be reopened shortly,” the statement disclosed.
The Belgian foreign minister said he was convinced the two countries could establish a positive agenda that would benefit their citizens and build on strong interpersonal ties.
Discussing in constructive spirit
“This decision follows a series of meetings and informal contacts held between the two Ministers of Foreign Affairs over recent months, during which a number of differences and misunderstandings were addressed in a constructive spirit,” the statement adds.
The move came 18 months after the two countries severed diplomatic ties over a dispute related to the conflict in eastern DR Congo.
The Rwandan foreign ministry posted a photo of Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe shaking hands with his Belgian counterpart Maxime Prevot outside the United Nations headquarters in New York.
The resumption of diplomatic ties “should open a new era of constructive dialogue in a spirit of mutual respect,” Nduhungirehe wrote in another post.
When it cut ties in March 2025, Kigali accused Brussels, the former colonial power in both Rwanda and DR Congo, of “neo-colonial” behaviour, siding with Kinshasa and lobbying for sanctions over Rwanda’s alleged support for M23 rebels, which Rwanda denies.
