President Paul Kagame has ordered all European diplomats to leave Rwanda within 48 hours, declaring them Persona Non Grata.
This marks a dramatic escalation in diplomatic tensions between Rwanda and European governments over the ongoing war in eastern Congo.
In diplomacy, a persona non grata is a foreign diplomat who is asked by the host country to be recalled to their home country. If the person is not recalled as requested, the host state may refuse to recognize the person concerned as a member of the diplomatic mission.
It can be recalled that UK and Rwanda agreed a Migration and Economic Development Partnership in April 2022 at a one off payment of £120million.
In a statement released Monday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Rwanda announced the immediate severance of diplomatic relations with Belgium.
The decision comes just one day after President Kagame accused Belgian officials and other European powers of mobilizing international sanctions against Rwanda and falsely implicating the country in the Congo conflict.
Now, what you see happening every day, the accusations they throw at us, in Kinyarwanda, we call it gukoronga—constant insults and attacks,” Kagame said. “They talk about the war in Congo, first making it Rwanda’s war, and then claiming that Rwanda supports it.” Kagame singled out Belgium for what he called “shameless” behavior, criticizing the country for pressuring the international community to isolate Rwanda. “Belgians go to Kinshasa and point a finger towards Rwanda and say they will impose sanctions on us and also mobilise the world against Rwanda. They are shameless. Mobilising the world against Rwanda, with our small size? They should leave us alone.”
In response, Belgium’s foreign minister, Maxime Prevot, condemned the expulsion as “disproportionate” and said it signaled Kigali’s unwillingness to engage in diplomatic dialogue. “Belgium regrets the decision of Rwanda to cut off diplomatic relations with Belgium and to declare Belgium’s diplomats persona non grata,” he wrote on X. Tensions have been building over the past two weeks. On March 4, Germany suspended financial aid to Rwanda after a United Nations report alleged that thousands of Rwandan troops were fighting alongside M23 rebels in eastern Congo. The United States and the United Kingdom had already taken similar steps by halting aid to Kigali. President Kagame’s administration has consistently denied any involvement in the conflict, rejecting claims of military support to rebel groups.
With the 48-hour deadline now in effect, all European diplomats are expected to leave Rwanda by Wednesday, March 19.
