Rwanda interrupted diplomatic ties Monday with the former colonial ruler, Belgium, who is pushing to punish Rwanda for her invasion of the neighboring People’s Republic of Congo.
The Rwanda Foreign Ministry gave Belgian diplomats 48 hours to leave the country.
The diplomatic escalation came as the European Union, at Belgium’s urging, imposed sanctions on Monday on Military and Government Officers of Rwanda for their involvement in the Congo conflict.
“Belgium has clearly taken its sides in a regional conflict and continues to systematically mobilize Rwanda in different forums,” the Rwandan Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The European Union accused Rwanda officials of feeding the conflict through the presence of Rwanda troops in eastern Congo and the looting of Congo fossil resources. Sanctions were Europe’s first steps towards rising pressure on Rwanda, although it has so far maintained close cooperation on security and strategic minerals.
“Belgium has taken on a leading role in Europe by supporting sanctions against Rwanda,” said Kristof Titeca, Professor of International Development at the University of Antwerp. At the same time, he added: “The European Union did the least with these sanctions on people – it remains quite harmless.”
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot said in a statement that Rwanda’s answer “is disproportionate and shows that when we disagree with Rwanda, they prefer not to participate in a dialogue”. He said that Belgium would respond in kind to the expulsion of its diplomats.
The United States, the European Union and the United Nations say Rwanda has funded, supports and runs an armed group of rebels, M23, who has fought in government forces in eastern Congo for more than a decade and launched a new attack there in January.
The M23 is now controlling the two largest cities in the region, border intersections with Rwanda and access to basic natural resources, including one of the largest Coltan mines in the world. Coltan is a mineral that is vital to the manufacture of smartphones and other electronic devices. The M23 is responsible for an area in eastern Congo which is the size of Greece or Louisiana.
M23 leaders and Congo government officials are scheduled to meet on Tuesday in Angola for the first peace talks between the two war parties for years.
The last wave of violence has killed thousands and shifted more than 500,000 people since the beginning of the year, according to the UN Refugee Service.
Despite the widespread figures shared by United Nations experts and independent researchers that thousands of Rwanda troops are being developed in Congo and that Rwanda supplies weapons to the M23, Rwanda refused to support the M23.
Rwanda, a 14 million country, whose economic growth is often regarded as a success story in Africa, remains largely dependent on external assistance. More than a quarter of the 4 billion dollars’ national budget comes from foreign aid, according to the World Bank – about $ 1.25 billion on average in recent years.
Britain and Germany have withheld help in Rwanda and Canada has suspended some export activities.
On Monday, the European Union imposed penalties on a gold refinery and five Rwanda, including Francis Kamanzi, chief executive of the mines, oil and Rwanda gas. The block accused Rwanda of mixing minerals looted by Congo with its own production.
Ruki Karusisi, the Commander of the Rwanda Special Forces, were also ratified, which UN experts say they oversee the M23 units on the ground. and two high -ranking military officials, Désiré Rukomera and Eugene Nkubito.
However, the Rwanda government remained mostly provocative and on Monday accused Belgium of “neo -cycle illusions”. In the last decade, East African country has cultivated economic and military relations with a wide range of countries – including Singapore, Turkey and Qatar – beyond its traditional Western partners.
It has been portrayed as a safe and stable refuge in a volatile area, attracting tourism and investment. Last month, funding from all over Africa met in the Rwanda capital, Kigali, for a financial technology conference, and cyclists from all over the world ran through the rich hills of the country as part of Rwanda’s tour.
“Rwanda has flexed her muscles into any criticism and signaled:” We are not afraid of sanctions. They have no effect, “said Mr. Titeca, a professor at the University of Antwerp.” But this strong reaction really shows that he may have some effect. “
