Belgium seeks Museveni’s hand to mend relations with Rwanda
Maxime Prévot, Belgium’s Vice-Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, during a meeting with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni at State House Entebbe on April 25, 2025.
What you need to know:
- The Belgian foreign minister’s itinerary skips Rwanda, following the recent diplomatic fallout between Kigali and Brussels, which saw Kigali sever ties with Belgium
Belgium said on Friday that while it still considers Rwanda a key player in the region and well-placed to resolve the conflict in eastern Congo, it cannot be complacent about Rwanda’s violation of Congo’s territorial integrity.
Maxime Prévot, Belgium’s Vice-Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Development Cooperation, said this during a meeting with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.
While the Belgian official sought President Museveni’s tact in defusing the crisis in eastern Congo, it is also understood that the meeting was double-barrelled, seeking the veteran Ugandan leader’s reach to mend relations between Belgium and Rwanda.
In his own words, Mr Prévot described President Museveni as “a very valuable go-between in diplomatic contacts.”
At a press conference in Kampala, Mr Prévot, who is on a tour of Uganda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), said he had met Mr Museveni first to tap into his knowledge of the region and the respect he commands among his peers — qualities Belgium views as key to resolving the conflict in eastern Congo and fostering rapprochement between Belgium and Rwanda.
The Belgian foreign minister’s itinerary skips Rwanda, following the recent diplomatic fallout between Kigali and Brussels, which saw Kigali sever ties with Belgium.
“Unfortunately, it is at this stage no longer possible for me to visit Rwanda following its decision to break down our diplomatic relations. I explained to President Museveni that there is a lot of disinformation about this situation. A breakdown of diplomatic relations is not a solution to divergent views,” Mr Prévot said.
The two leaders discussed the current state of the conflict in eastern DRC, a situation that remains extremely precarious, with the local population paying the price every day. They agreed there is urgent need to act.
“During the meeting, I also underlined that the root causes of the conflict must be addressed in order to break the cycle of violence,” he added.
The Belgian official explained that respecting the territorial integrity of all countries in the region, promoting regional economic integration, resolving refugee issues, ending the threat posed by the FDLR, combating hate speech targeting specific communities, and improving governance and respect for human rights would help de-escalate the conflict and the tension between the DRC and Rwanda.
FDLR is the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, a Hutu rebel group that includes perpetrators of the Rwandan genocide and is active in eastern Congo.
On relations with Kigali, Mr Prévot said Brussels believes there is always room for dialogue and a better understanding of each other’s perspectives, noting that even with the Russian Federation under sanctions after Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, Belgium has maintained diplomatic relations, albeit at a more limited level.
However, the Belgian chief diplomat said his country cannot be complacent about Rwanda’s violation of the DRC’s territorial integrity, although Belgium is not seeking an escalation of the situation.
Belgium said it welcomed the announcement by the DRC and rebel group M23/AFC to work towards a truce and a ceasefire leading to dialogue to restore lasting peace in the mineral-rich and conflict-plagued eastern Congo.
At the same time, a further boost of positive news came from Washington, where the foreign ministers of the DRC and Rwanda signed a declaration of principles under the auspices of the US, which recently struck deals with Kinshasa to help end the crisis in eastern Congo.
Brussels says these are crucial steps towards ending the violence, and also hails the mediation efforts of Qatar, the African Union, and regional blocs East African Community and Southern African Development Community.
A close coordination of these initiatives is of the utmost importance, the Belgian embassy in Kampala said in a statement issued after the meeting between Mr Prévot and President Museveni.
“The Belgian position will continue to be anchored in respect for international law, human rights and the rule of law,” the statement added.
