Nduhungirehe Meets Belgian Foreign Minister in Talks

Senior Rwandan and Belgian officials engaged in bilateral discussions on Wednesday, November 19, in Kigali's capital, as reported by The...

Senior Rwandan and Belgian officials engaged in bilateral discussions on Wednesday, November 19, in Kigali's capital, as reported by The New Times. It was revealed that this marked the second instance of direct behind-the-scenes talks between the two nations since Rwanda cut diplomatic relations with Belgium in March, citing the latter’s “pitiful attempts to maintain its neocolonial delusions.” The initial round of discussions occurred in Doha, Qatar, in May, according to a high-ranking source who spoke under anonymity, emphasizing the confidential nature of these engagements. Ambassador Olivier Nduhungirehe, Rwanda's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and visiting Belgian Vice Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot led their respective delegations during the most recent talks. Prévot arrived in Kigali earlier in the week, leading a Belgian delegation to attend the 46th ministerial conference of the International Organisation of La Francophonie, an association primarily comprising countries and territories with strong ties to French language and culture. This organization is headed by Rwanda’s former foreign minister, Louise Mushikiwabo. Nduhungirehe confirmed meeting his Belgian counterpart on Wednesday but refrained from providing further details. “We did meet yesterday, but I prefer not to make additional comments,” he told The New Times late Thursday. Although specifics of the discussions remain limited, sources suggest there were multiple efforts for both sides to resolve their differences, which escalated following the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) between a coalition of government forces, including the genocidal FDLR militia linked to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, and the AFC/M23 rebel group. ALSO READ: Inside FDLR’s frontline base 3km from Rwanda ALSO READ: Understanding FDLR’s source of funding Rwanda accused the Belgian government of taking sides in the conflict and “continuing to systematically mobilize against Rwanda in various forums, using lies and manipulation to create an unjustified hostile opinion of Rwanda, in an attempt to destabilize both Rwanda and the region.” Too close to Tshisekedi regime Belgium, which inherited Rwanda as a colony after the removal of the German colonial regime following World War I in 1918, is widely perceived as being too close to the government of President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, who is accused of supporting and financing self-exiled anti-Rwanda groups, including the genocidal FDLR, with the aim of overthrowing the current Rwandan government. ALSO READ: Security Council condemns DRC’s support of FDLR ALSO READ: Tshisekedi’s vast armory along Rwanda border As the war in neighboring DRC spread, with rebels capturing strategic eastern cities like Goma and Bukavu earlier this year, Belgium advocated for sanctions against Rwanda over alleged links to the rebellion, a claim that Kigali has denied. Brussels is also intrinsically connected to Rwanda's tragic past, having sown the seeds of division by entrenching ethnic politics as a tool for divide-and-rule strategy. “Beyond Belgium's destructive historical role in fueling the ethnic extremism that resulted in entrenched discrimination and persecution, and ultimately the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, it has also allowed Belgian territory to be used by groups that propagate genocide denial and sustain genocidal ideology,” the Rwandan government stated in a statement in March. The warring parties in the DRC conflict have since agreed on a peace framework, facilitated by Doha, outlining the fundamental principles and commitments toward achieving a peaceful resolution. However, both sides continue to exchange accusations of ceasefire violations. Belgium is involved in training DRC’s elite forces, although there are varying accounts regarding the extent of its involvement in the conflict. Prévot’s message at Genocide memorial Meanwhile, Prévot and his delegation visited the Kigali Genocide Memorial, the final resting place of more than 250,000 victims. The Genocide claimed the lives of over one million people across the country. Maxime Prévot, @prevotmaxime, Vice-Premier Ministre et Ministre des Affaires étrangères de la Belgique, accompagné de sa délégation, a rendu hommage aux victimes du Génocide contre les Tutsi. pic.twitter.com/DeRM2pmEmR — Kigali Genocide Memorial (@Kigali_Memorial) November 20, 2025 At the memorial, the Belgian top diplomat paid tribute to the victims and praised the resilience and determination of the Rwandan people to "overcome this tragedy to build a present and a future based on reconciliation, dignity, and development." “On behalf of the government and the people of Belgium, I once again bow in memory of the victims of the Genocide against the Tutsis in 1994 in Rwanda,” he wrote, in French, in the memorial’s guest book. “The visit to this memorial is a chilling reminder of these events that deeply wounded our humanity.” He added, “It is our collective responsibility to ensure that such atrocities never happen again, neither in this region nor anywhere else in the world. Belgium will pursue this commitment with determination. “The fight against denial is part of this, as is the prosecution in Belgium of those responsible for these crimes, for whom no impunity is acceptable. I salute the resilience of the Rwandan people, who have overcome this tragedy to build a present and a future based on reconciliation, dignity, and development.”

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