Belgium and Rwanda restore diplomatic relations
Eighteen months after expelling each other’s diplomats, the two countries will reopen their embassies.
Key points
- Belgium and Rwanda announced the restoration of diplomatic relations in a joint statement on 22 September 2026, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
- Rwanda cut ties in March 2025 amid a dispute over Belgium’s stance on the conflict in eastern DR Congo.
- Qatar, which hosted the first meeting between the two foreign ministers in June 2025, welcomed the decision to reopen embassies.
Belgium and Rwanda are restoring diplomatic relations. The two countries announced the decision in a joint statement on 22 September 2026, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot confirmed the move. The two countries will reopen their respective embassies.
Eighteen months apart
Rwanda cut diplomatic ties with Belgium in March 2025, amid a dispute over Belgium's position on the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The two countries expelled each other's diplomats.
Qatar's role
Qatar hosted the first meeting between the two countries' foreign ministers in June 2025, which opened direct dialogue. Qatari officials described their role as a facilitator rather than a formal mediator: they provided a trusted platform and then stepped back as the two sides continued talking on their own.
Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the decision as a positive step towards resolving differences through dialogue.
Why it matters
Belgium, the former colonial power, and Rwanda have deep historical, economic and people-to-people ties. Restoring relations reopens channels that matter for trade, development cooperation and the Rwandan diaspora in Belgium, and shows that diplomacy can repair ruptures.
Sources
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