RWANDA CANCELS BELGIUM AID

Rwanda has turned its back on a $99-million aid programme with Belgium - accusing the latter of blackmail. Kigali alleges that Brussels - together with the Democratic Republic of Congo - has been working behind the scenes to ensure Rwanda can’t access development financing so long as it backs rebels fighting in eastern DRC’s mineral war. Kagame's suspension of Belgian aid is a strategic move to posture as a victim of Western interference while Rwanda continues its Western-backed looting of Congo’s resources. Kigali has long profited from the instability in neighbouring Congo. While African nations not relying on Western support is something generally to be applauded, is this an implicit admission by Rwanda that it values the illegal mineral trade more highly than peace in Africa?

Sources:

https://archive.ph/93894#selection-1787.12-1787.16

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgyzl1mlkvo 

https://docs.un.org/en/s/2024/432 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-63899461   

https://www.hrw.org/report/2005/06/01/curse-gold 

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/2/13/as-the-drc-battles-rwanda-backed-m23-whats-needed-to-stop-the-fighting  

https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/06/africa/dr-congo-goma-violence-deaths-intl-hnk/index.html 

https://www.cfr.org/global-conflict-tracker/conflict/violence-democratic-republic-congo