Following a lightning onslaught, the rebel forces of M23 movement allegedly backed by Rwanda took control of nearly the whole city of Goma, a vital hub for the trade of minerals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in late January 2025.

Rwanda Bans NGOs From Cooperating With Belgian Institutions

13:54, 28 March 2025

CC BY 2.0 / / Kigali

Ekaterina Shilova

Writer / Editor

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Earlier, the Rwandan government severed diplomatic relations with Belgium, citing Belgium's "pitiful attempts to sustain its neocolonial delusions." According to Rwanda's Foreign Ministry, Belgium, along with the DRC, has been aggressively campaigning to sabotage Rwanda's access to development finance, including through multilateral institutions.

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Following the severance of diplomatic ties with Belgium, all existing projects and agreements with the Belgian government or its affiliates "must be terminated immediately," the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) said, extending the ban to NGOs, faith-based organizations, and common-benefit companies.

The RGB added that all funding from Belgian sources is prohibited, and attempts to circumvent these restrictions will face strict penalties.

M23 Rebels Offensive in DR Congo (2025)

Rwanda Breaks Off Diplomatic Relations With Belgium for Perpetuating 'Neocolonial Delusions'

17 March, 12:42

Although Rwanda denies military support for the M23 group, the DRC accuses Rwanda of violating its sovereignty and territorial integrity by sending troops to support armed groups.