Africa · updated 1h ago · 3 min read
Qatar Says No Alternative to Diplomacy as Belgium Restores Ties With Rwanda
Belgium and Rwanda resumed relations after 18-month rupture over eastern DR Congo; embassies to reopen. Qatar welcomed the resumption, calling it positive and urging diplomacy to resolve crises.
Whether the accord resolves the underlying Congo dispute.
8 of 10 outlets skipped it: qatar facilitated a first June 2025 meeting in Doha.
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Only some outlets explicitly stress the dispute remains unresolved.
Qatar backs diplomacy
Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Majed al-Ansari told Al Jazeera that Doha will keep pushing for diplomacy to end crises around the world from Africa’s Great Lakes region to the Gulf. Al-Ansari welcomed the restoration of ties between Belgium and Rwanda, 18 months after they expelled each other’s diplomats over the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Al-Ansari said Qatar had facilitated the first talks in June 2025, which he said led to further diplomatic rapprochement between Belgium and Rwanda.
Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani told the UN General Assembly in New York that Qatar, as a mediator, has always sought to resolve disputes through dialogue and negotiations and “reach just and fair solutions grounded in international law”. Al-Ansari added, “We do believe that there is no alternative to diplomacy, and we cannot afford to let diplomacy fail,” as he described efforts to keep communication open and listening to both sides.
Belgium and Rwanda resume
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot announced Belgium and Rwanda had resumed diplomatic relations following a "process of frank discussions" and said the move was an important signal in New York, the UN's host city. Prevot said the two countries agreed on the importance of systematic dialogue, including on remaining points of disagreement such as the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), while he continued to defend the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the DRC. Rwanda and Belgium formalized the decision in New York through a joint statement signed by Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe and Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot.
The joint statement said the embassies would be reopened within a reasonable timeframe, with missions initially led by a chargé d’affaires until an ambassador is appointed. Reuters said Belgium and Rwanda resumed diplomatic relations 18 months after breaking ties due to a dispute over the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, after both sides expelled each other's diplomats in March 2025.
Channels reopen, dispute remains
Belgium and Rwanda said they planned to reopen their respective embassies soon, and the joint statement said the foreign ministers held a series of meetings and informal contacts over recent months in a constructive spirit. Prevot wrote on X that restoring diplomatic relations between states does not mean abandoning Belgium’s position, but having structured channels for dialogue, and he said he would continue to defend the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the DRC. The joint statement also acknowledged that differences and divergent positions remain, and it committed both governments to non-interference, mutual respect, and constructive engagement while maintaining an “open, candid and transparent dialogue.”
Reuters said the UN and Western governments say the AFC/M23 rebels are backed by Rwanda, which Kigali denies, and it noted that the rebels control large parts of North and South Kivu provinces following their early 2025 advance. Reuters added that Rwanda says it is defending itself against the threat from a Hutu militia, which it says is fighting with the Congolese military, as Belgium and Rwanda reopen diplomatic channels without resolving the underlying dispute.