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Today, Belgium was informed of Rwanda’s decision to sever diplomatic relations with Belgium and to declare Belgian diplomats in Kigali persona non grata.

“Belgium regrets this decision, which is disproportionate and illustrates that when we disagree with Rwanda, it prefers to avoid dialogue,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Prévot.

“I invited my Rwandan counterpart, Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe, to meet me during his visit to Brussels last week, but he declined the meeting, despite an open offer to find a mutually convenient time. It appears that the Rwandan government has likely preferred to settle for a unilateral and biased interpretation of our position. However, cutting off channels of discussion never facilitates the resolution of disputes.”

Belgium refutes President Paul Kagame’s statements over the weekend, as well as the reasons invoked to justify Rwanda’s decision. Belgium does not seek to punish or weaken Rwanda, let alone based on a colonial past from which it has long distanced itself. This is a complete distortion of the facts.

“Belgium’s only guiding principle will remain the respect for human rights, the rule of law, and international humanitarian law,” said Minister Prévot. This position is shared by the entire EU as well as other international partners, including the G7. This demonstrates that it is not an isolated stance and that Belgium does not need to convince its allies.

Belgium’s position on the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda remains unchanged, and we reaffirm it. Belgium has unequivocally condemned the genocide against the Tutsi and has assumed its share of responsibility, including by formally apologizing for its shortcomings. Belgium remains committed to enforcing the law against genocide denial and will maintain strong judicial cooperation with Rwanda in prosecuting those responsible.

In response to the violation of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s territorial integrity and the ongoing violence in the east of the country, Belgium believes that a firm and unanimous response from the EU was necessary. This morning, the Council of the European Union adopted individual sanctions against senior Rwandan military officials as well as members of the M23 and AFC.

One individual and one Rwandan company were also sanctioned for their involvement in the illegal trafficking of natural resources from the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is likely that today’s decision by Rwanda is not unrelated to the unanimous adoption of these sanctions at the European level.

The goal of these measures is to apply pressure so that all parties cease hostilities and come to the negotiating table. Belgium welcomes the progress made in recent days through regional mediation and strongly encourages these efforts. The Democratic Republic of Congo must also take responsibility, not only to enable conflict resolution but also to reform its own governance.

Belgium calls for genuine engagement in regional and national dialogues, while also ending any cooperation with the FDLR and sanctioning any speech or actions that incite hatred against Rwandophones.

Rwanda’s decision has not gone unanswered. Minister Maxime Prévot has decided to implement reciprocal measures: summoning Rwanda’s acting chargé d’affaires, declaring Rwandan diplomats persona non grata with an order to leave Belgian territory within 48 hours, and terminating our bilateral governmental cooperation agreements (based on Article 11.3).Kingdom of Belgium Foreign Affairs

North West Regional (NWRC) has awarded three scholarships to asylum seekers living and studying in Derry, offering them the chance to pursue their academic and professional goals.

Diana Tamayo from Colombia, Ghadeer Fatouh from Syria, and Micheal Mutebi from Uganda are the 2024/25 recipients of the NWRC Asylum Seeker Scholarship, an initiative that seeks to support the college’s ongoing commitment to inclusivity and diversity.

Chukwuka Frank Nwanonenyi, who was awarded the scholarship last year, has gone on to complete his course and has decided to continue his education at NWRC with a Foundation Degree in Applied Science.

Mum-of-one Diana Tamayo moved to Derry in 2020. Having already achieved a degree in Psychology in Colombia she decided to enrol on a Higher National Diploma course at the college and hopes to pursue a career in Early Years. Diana has volunteered in day cares, special needs settings and in local primary schools. 

Ghadeer Fatouh (17) who studies the Level 2 in Beauty Therapy as well as GCSEs at NWRC is an asylum seeker from Syria. Ghadeer wants to progress with her education so she can help support her family – her mum doesn’t speak any English. Her brother Ahmed is also in the city and is hoping to enrol with NWRC in the future. By NWRC

 
A photo collage of hard-hitting headlines by the Standard Newspaper targeted at President William Ruto and other senior government leaders. 
The Standard 

Migori Senator Eddy Oketch on Tuesday, March 18, hit out at The Standard newspaper over its recent conduct, which has ruffled feathers in government circles, terming it “unprofessional”.

Oketch, a staunch Raila ally, accused the Gideon Moi-owned newspaper of publishing headlines that have been deemed too critical of President William Ruto’s administration, with a section of politicians even describing it as sensational or tabloid reporting. 

Through a statement, Oketch insisted that the language used by the publication made it unbalanced, adding that it affected The Standard’s objectivity.

“Honestly, the Standard has been very unprofessional in the last few months. Their headlines lack public accountability,” Oketch stated.

“They have a lot of “wild goose chase and hot air” language that makes them the most unbalanced newspaper,” he added. 

The senator’s comments come amidst a push-and-pull between the government and the Standard that recently saw the Ministry of ICT cancel all its advertising campaigns with Standard Group following administrative advice. 

In a letter seen by Kenyans.co.ke, Principal Secretary Edward Kisiang'ani excluded the media house from a previously approved list of media outlets selected for an irrigation campaign. The letter, dated March 14, reversed a decision made on March 10 regarding the National Irrigation Sector Investment Plan (NISIP) campaign.

Over the past few weeks, the Standard Newspaper has been the subject of controversy over hard-hitting headlines on senior government officials including President William Ruto.

One such headline on March 2, which read "Cunning Ruto", even prompted the President’s reaction. While speaking at Jesus Winner Ministry on the same day, he hit back at the media house, denying the claims.

Other politicians who have suffered a similar fate include Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, who were described as "Mere Flower Girls" in the 9 March issue. 

The trend continued with the March 18 issue, where Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga were the recipients of another scathing headline—“Fooling Kenyans”—on the front page.

The reaction to the headlines by politicians close to the government like Oketch has been immediate with Kenyans taking to social media to debate over the headlines. Media stakeholders like the Media Council of Kenya recently flagged as fake a notice cautioning Standard and Nation over sensational headlines despite maintaining that media houses still had a responsibility to maintain professional standards. By Walter Ngano, Kenyans.co.ke

In response to a rapidly escalating humanitarian crisis, the European Union has allocated €200,000 in emergency humanitarian aid to support Congolese asylum seekers arriving in Burundi. The funding will provide life-saving assistance to thousands in urgent need. 

The ongoing armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has triggered a mass exodus of people, with over 65,000 people fleeing to Burundi—a number that continues to rise daily. Most are escaping violence in the eastern DRC provinces of North and South Kivu. Many refugees face dire conditions, including overcrowded shelters and inadequate sanitation. The influx of refugees has further intensified existing challenges, putting additional strain on the local economy and infrastructure while exacerbating the already precarious living conditions of host communities.

The EU funding will bolster the efforts of the Burundi Red Cross Society in delivering much-needed relief including emergency shelter, essential relief supplies, clean water, healthcare and hygiene support. The project will also set up humanitarian service points at key entry locations, and enhance protection and safeguarding measures for at-risk populations.                                                                               

This four-month project, to be implemented until the end of June 2025, is expected to provide immediate life-saving services to at least 6,000 asylum seekers, while benefitting a total of 20,000 displaced individuals and host community members. The funding is part of the EU’s overall contribution to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). 

Background

The European Union together with its Member States is the world's leading donor of humanitarian aid. Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity towards people in need around the world. It aims to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering, and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and human-made crises.

Through its European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, the European Union helps millions of victims of conflicts and disasters every year. Headquartered in Brussels and with a global network of field offices, the EU assists to the most vulnerable people, based on humanitarian needs.

The European Commission has signed a €14.5 million humanitarian contribution agreement with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to support the Federation's Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF). Funds from the DREF are mainly allocated to “small-scale” disasters – those that do not give rise to a formal international appeal.

The Disaster Response Emergency Fund was established in 1979 and is supported by contributions from donors. Each time a National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society needs immediate financial support to respond to a disaster, it can request funds from the DREF. For small-scale disasters, the IFRC allocates grants from the Fund, which can then be replenished by the donors. The contribution agreement between the IFRC and ECHO enables the latter to replenish the DREF for agreed operations (that fit in with its humanitarian mandate) up to a total of €14.5 million. EEAS

 

Rwandan President Paul Kagame accused Belgium on Sunday of advocating for international sanctions against his country over the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Addressing a rally in the capital Kigali, Kagame said the country's former colonial power has had a longstanding pattern of undermining Rwanda.

“Now, what you see happening every day, the accusations they throw at us, in Kinyarwanda we call it ‘gukoronga,' constant insults and attacks. They talk about the war in Congo, first making it Rwanda's war, and then claiming that Rwanda supports it,” he said.

“Belgians go to Kinshasa and point a finger towards Rwanda and say they will impose sanctions on us and also mobilize the world against Rwanda. They are shameless. Mobilizing the world against Rwanda, with our small size? They should leave us alone.”

 

Kagame accused Belgium of cutting off a big chunk of Rwanda's land onto Congo during the colonial days so that Rwanda looks as small as Belgium.

In 2023, Belgium declined to accept Vincent Karega as Rwanda's ambassador-designate, a move Kigali described as unfortunate.

Earlier this month, German authorities joined the US and UK in issuing sanction measures against Rwanda over the conflict in eastern Congo.

Congo and Western countries accuse neighboring Rwanda of backing the M23 rebels. Rwanda has denied the allegation.

The rebel group has intensified its offensive in eastern Congo since December, capturing the provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu.

 

Recently, the rebels captured Nyabiondo, located 110 kilometers (68 miles) northwest of Goma in North Kivu province, after days of fierce fighting with government forces and the pro-government militia Wazalendo. Last week, the group seized the town of Kashebere in North Kivu province.

Peace talks between the Congolese government and M23 rebel group brokered by Angolan President Joao Lourenco, the African Union peace mediator for the conflict in Congo, are scheduled to take place on Tuesday in Angola.

The Congolese government has said at least 7,000 people have been killed in the fighting since January. Yeni Safak

 

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