Following the United Kingdom, Germany has also stopped development aid to Rwanda. The German government ends all support to Rwanda because of the role of that country in the continuing violence in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), writes The German Ministry of Development Tuesday.
The M23 rebel group supported by Rwanda took over parts of Eastern Congo at the beginning of this year. In the violence that goes with it, are until the end of February According to the Congolese government At least seven thousand people were killed. The German government is said to have encouraged Rwanda to withdraw the support to M23. In 2022, Germany admitted 93.6 million euros to Rwanda, for the period 2022 to 2024.
In a reaction Let the Rwandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs know how to find the German measure “wrong and counterproductive”. The ministry blames the Germans Hypocrisy: Germany would say to support the peace process -led peace process, but would not punish Congo for ‘countless violations’. This reinforces, says the Rwandan ministry, “only the aggressive attitude of the country and ensures that the conflict takes unnecessarily long”.
Measures VK and Canada
The United Kingdom announced last month Already stopping part of the financial support to Rwanda. The UK also decided to limit trade relationships with the country. Only support for the poorest Rwandans continues the UK. In a statement, the British government announced that it would hope for an “immediate end of violence” and “humanitarian access, respect for international law, meaningful involvement in peace processes guided by Africa and the withdrawal of Rwandan forces from Congolese territory.”
Canada announced Monday to suspend export permits and not to enter into new trade relationships. Rwanda called that measure “embarrassing” and said that the restrictions will not resolve the conflict.
The United States decided Already in February a Rwandan minister and a high -placed member of M23 in sanction because of the “aggression” that, according to a spokesperson for the US Department of Foreign Affairs, “undermines the territorial integrity of the DRC”. In the statement it was emphasized that Rwanda should stop his support to M23 and again have to join the negotiations led by Angola about the violence. The spokesperson said he wanted to prevent the violence from “escalating into a broader regional conflict.”
Roles
Rwanda itself was precisely the development cooperation with former colonizer Belgium, reported Belgian media last month. According to Rwanda, Belgium is not neutral in the conflict in Eastern Congo. Foreign minister Maxime Prévot then divided A message on X That the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs was already working before Rwanda’s decision to “evaluate cooperation with the country after” Rwanda had violated the territorial integrity of the DRC “.
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