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Qatar Hails Restoration of Belgium-Rwanda Diplomatic Ties, Citing Doha Dialogue

2 hours ago EDITOR

DOHA / NEW YORK — Qatar on Wednesday welcomed the decision by Belgium and Rwanda to restore diplomatic relations after an 18-month rupture, praising the move as a victory for dialogue and highlighting its own role in bringing the two sides back to the table.

In a statement posted on X, Qatar’s Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, congratulated the “two friendly countries” on what he called an important step that “embodies the triumph of dialogue and the will to understand.” He said the decision reflected a shared commitment to rebuilding trust and overcoming differences.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry issued a parallel statement welcoming the joint decision to resume ties and reopen embassies. The ministry recalled that Doha hosted the first meeting between the two countries’ foreign ministers in June 2025, an encounter it said opened direct dialogue and paved the way for subsequent contacts that led to the restoration of relations.

The announcement came a day after Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot and Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe formalized the agreement on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. In a joint statement, the two governments said they would reopen their embassies in the near future, initially with limited staff led by chargés d’affaires. Ambassadorial appointments would follow later.

Both sides thanked Qatar for facilitating their first meeting in Doha in June 2025. Qatari officials have described that session as a breakthrough that allowed the ministers to address longstanding differences after months of silence. Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani helped convene the talks.

The diplomatic break began on March 17, 2025, when Rwanda severed ties with Belgium and ordered Belgian diplomats to leave within 48 hours. Kigali accused Brussels of taking sides against Rwanda in the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and of mobilizing European partners against it. Belgium responded by expelling Rwandan diplomats and ending several cooperation agreements, calling Rwanda’s move disproportionate.

The dispute was rooted in the war in eastern Congo, where the AFC/M23 rebels seized Goma and Bukavu in early 2025 and still control large parts of North and South Kivu. The United Nations and several Western governments say Rwanda backs the group, a charge Kigali denies. Rwanda says it is acting against the FDLR, a Hutu militia it links to the 1994 genocide against Tutsi. Belgium, the former colonial power of both Rwanda and the DRC, had pushed for European Union sanctions on Rwandan officials.

Prévot stressed that restoring diplomatic channels does not mean Belgium has changed its position. “Restoring diplomatic relations between states does not mean abandoning our position, but having structured channels for dialogue, and I will continue to defend the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the DRC,” he said. The two countries agreed to keep talking systematically, including on remaining disagreements over the Congo conflict.

Qatar has played a broader mediating role in the Great Lakes region, hosting talks involving Rwanda, the DRC, and armed groups, and contributing to a June 2025 peace agreement between Kinshasa and Kigali signed in Washington. Qatari officials say they acted as a facilitator rather than a formal mediator between Belgium and Rwanda, providing a trusted platform and then stepping back as the two sides continued talks on their own.

Al-Khulaifi said Qatar remains convinced that “diplomacy and sincere dialogue remain the most appropriate path for addressing differences and consolidating stability.” The Foreign Ministry added that Doha would continue supporting efforts to bring parties closer and resolve disputes through peaceful means.

Embassies are expected to reopen with small teams first. The restoration of ties creates a formal channel between Brussels and Kigali even as the underlying conflict in eastern Congo remains unresolved. Whether the renewed diplomatic relationship produces broader cooperation, or simply managed disagreement, will depend on talks that both sides now say they are prepared to hold.