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This article has been translated by Artificial Intelligence (AI). The news agency is not responsible for the content of the translated article. The original was published by Belga.

Belgium advocates for European action against Rwanda

by AI | 30.Jan 2025 | Europe in brief AI

Belgium wants the European Union to reconsider its partnership with Rwanda following the capture of the Congolese city of Goma by the M23 rebel movement. This was stated by Foreign Minister Bernard Quintin on Wednesday during a visit to Morocco. “We have levers and we must decide how to use them,” it said.

Belgium wants to increase pressure on Rwanda through the EU

For Quintin, the capture of Goma is “unacceptable.” “We know that M23 would not have been able to do so without the full support of the Rwandan troops. This is a serious violation of international law and the territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of Congo,” declared the Belgian minister alongside his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita.

On Monday, during a meeting with his European colleagues in Brussels, Quintin had already indicated that action must be taken against Rwanda. According to diplomatic sources, several options are on the table in the European circles, such as sanctions against individuals or a suspension of the memorandum on important minerals signed last year.

Another option is the suspension of European support for the Rwandan army within the framework of a mission in Mozambique. Last November, the EU decided to give Rwanda a new envelope of 20 million euros to finance the presence of Rwandan soldiers in the Cabo Delgado province.