Brussels, February 19, 2025
Jambo ASBL expresses deep concern over the Rwandan government's decision to suspend its bilateral development aid program with Belgium. This move reflects a worrying retreat into isolationism, with direct consequences for the Rwandan population, already affected by the restructuring of U.S. development aid and USAID activities.
Belgian aid has played a significant role in key sectors such as health, agriculture, and urban development, directly benefiting the Rwandan people. By unilaterally cutting off this cooperation, the Rwandan government is primarily penalizing its own citizens at a time when the country faces major socio-economic challenges.
The Failure of African-Led Mediation Frameworks
Jambo ASBL urgently calls for a reassessment of intra-African mediation, political, and diplomatic mechanisms, whose inefficiency is now evident:
- The Nairobi Process, initiated by the EAC and specifically designed to include the M23, was rejected by the group itself, undermining any meaningful progress.
- The Luanda Process, under the auspices of the AU, despite the efforts of President João Lourenço and the political will expressed by President Félix Tshisekedi, has failed for nearly two years to halt the advance of Rwandan troops and their proxy force, the M23.
- The joint EAC-SADC summit in Dar es Salaam on February 8, 2024, reached a clear commitment: “the immediate and unconditional establishment of a ceasefire.” Yet, in blatant violation of this decision, the Rwandan army, accompanied by the M23, has intensified its offensives, achieving the most significant territorial gains in three years of war. Within just a few weeks, their forces have advanced nearly 250 kilometers, brazenly defying African peace mechanisms and the international community, culminating in the capture of Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu, the second major city to fall under their control.
These repeated failures highlight Rwanda's contempt for African conflict resolution frameworks, which it systematically disregards. The absence of any repercussions for these blatant violations of international law emboldens Kigali to continue its military expansion unchallenged.
Belgium’s Proactive Response: A Justified Stand for International Law
In this context, Belgium’s decisive action is fully justified and necessary. It aligns with the defense of fundamental principles:
- Respect for international law and the UN Charter;
- The inviolability of territorial integrity and state sovereignty;
- The protection of civilians, who are suffering grave human rights violations.
The summary execution of children by Rwandan military forces and the M23 in Bukavu, as documented by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), underscores the urgency of a strong and immediate international response.
An Urgent Call to Rwanda’s International Partners
Jambo ASBL urges Rwanda’s key economic, military, and diplomatic partners to leverage their influence to compel Kigali to reconsider its engagement in this conflict:
- The United States, the European Union, and its member states, as Rwanda’s major development partners;
- China, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, as key economic partners of Rwanda;
- France, Turkey, Russia, and the UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, which maintain military cooperation with Kigali.
We call on all actors cooperating with Kigali to impose targeted sanctions on Rwanda’s political and military leadership, including freezing their assets, imposing travel restrictions, and suspending any new investments or partnerships with Rwanda.
We also urge all state and private sector partners to immediately halt military cooperation with Kigali, suspend arms sales, and cease all forms of security assistance.
Finally, we call on the United Nations Security Council to suspend Rwanda’s participation in peacekeeping operations and to impose a temporary embargo on minerals labeled as Rwandan, pending an agreement that includes the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to ensure full traceability and prevent conflict minerals from being illicitly exported.
These measures aim to achieve:
- The immediate halt of military offensives by Rwandan forces and the M23 in the DRC;
- The acceptance and enforcement of a genuine and lasting ceasefire;
- Rwanda’s return to a credible and effective political and diplomatic dialogue framework;
- The unconditional withdrawal of Rwandan troops from Congolese territory.
A Path to Peace for the People of the Great Lakes Region
Jambo ASBL reaffirms that the only viable solution to ending the human tragedy unfolding in eastern DRC lies in a strong, coordinated international response. The time for appeasement in the face of Rwanda’s violations of international law is over. Establishing lasting peace requires strong diplomatic, economic, and political pressure to force Rwanda back into a framework that respects international law and the aspirations of the region’s people.
Norman Ishimwe SINAMENYE
President of Jambo ASBL