Rwanda’s Consul in Antwerp, Gunther Vanpraet, has blamed the Belgian government’s one-sided diplomatic position on the DR Congo security crisis, calling it both “disrespectful” to Rwanda and a threat to its national security. Vanpraet, who called himself “the last diplomat standing at the cruise routes between Belgium and Rwanda” after the severance of bilateral ties in mid-March, explained that the diplomatic crisis between the two countries stems from a series of events that showed Brussels’ bias against Kigali and its leaning toward Kinshasa. ALSO READ: Brussels' posture against Rwanda is 'profoundly irresponsible', says ex-Belgian senator On the one hand, he said, there is “flat electoral calculation of some French-speaking political parties who think they need the Congolese votes, particularly in Brussels.” “They also have two Members of Parliament who have made it their main job to represent DR Congo in the Belgian Parliament.” “On the other hand, the presence in the entourage of Belgium’s Foreign Minister of people with close contact with extreme politicians from Rwanda’s genocidal past. Those people, who are neither in the Cabinet nor the Ministry... have a huge influence on Belgian policy on East Africa,” he added. ALSO READ: Belgium funds genocide denial organizations, says Minister Bizimana According to Vanpraet, Belgium’s current foreign policy has taken “a unilateral diplomatic choice, pro-Congo, not for the Congolese people, but for the Congolese leaders in power today in Kinshasa and a few other provinces in Congo.” He described this as “obviously disrespectful to Rwanda and a threat to the security of the Rwandan people.” “If you ask me when the crisis will get resolved, I am sorry to tell you. I fear it is here for several years to come,” he added. Vanpraet noted that Rwanda’s decision to cut official ties with Belgium has weakened the European country’s diplomatic influence in East Africa, with Europe also losing ground as countries like the U.S., Qatar, and potentially others in Asia take on a greater leadership role. On March 17, Rwanda severed diplomatic ties with Belgium, ordering all Belgian diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours. The move came a day before President Paul Kagame cautioned Belgium against interfering in Rwanda’s progress. He accused Belgium of blaming Rwanda for DR Congo’s problems and conspiring to impose sanctions, despite its dark colonial history of being the root cause of the region’s longstanding problems, including the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
