Qatar has welcomed the decision by Rwanda and Belgium to restore diplomatic relations and reopen their respective embassies, describing the move as a positive step toward resolving differences through dialogue and mutual understanding.
In a statement issued on September 23, 2026, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the decision reflected the commitment of both countries to overcoming their differences through dialogue and diplomatic engagement.
The ministry said Doha hosted the first meeting between Rwanda’s and Belgium’s foreign ministers in June 2025 as part of Qatar’s efforts to bring the two sides closer together. According to Qatar, that meeting opened the way for direct dialogue, followed by further meetings and communications that eventually led to the restoration of diplomatic relations.
Qatar also welcomed what it described as the constructive approach taken by Rwanda and Belgium in addressing their differences and misunderstandings.
The ministry expressed hope that renewed diplomatic relations would create new opportunities for cooperation between the two countries and contribute to peace and stability at regional and international levels.
Qatar further reaffirmed its position that direct dialogue and diplomatic channels are appropriate means of resolving differences between states, saying it would continue supporting efforts to bring countries closer together and settle disputes through peaceful means.
The restoration of relations follows a joint decision announced by Rwanda and Belgium on September 22, 2026.
In their joint statement, Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Olivier J.P. Nduhungirehe, and Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Development Cooperation, Maxime Prévot, said the two countries had agreed to restore diplomatic relations and reopen their bilateral embassies in the near future.
The embassies will initially be headed by Chargés d’Affaires ad interim, supported by a diplomat or consular officer and a small technical team. The two countries will subsequently submit requests for the approval of ambassadors as they work toward a full diplomatic representation.
Rwanda and Belgium said the decision followed a series of meetings and informal contacts between their foreign ministers in recent months. During those engagements, the two sides addressed several differences and misunderstandings in what they described as a constructive spirit.
The two countries specifically thanked Qatar for facilitating the first meeting between their foreign ministers in Doha in June 2025.
They also committed to maintaining open, candid and transparent dialogue as a means of addressing bilateral differences and discussing divergent positions on international issues.
As part of their renewed approach to bilateral relations, Rwanda and Belgium said they had agreed on principles including non-interference, mutual respect and constructive engagement.
The restoration marks a change from the diplomatic rupture of March 2025, when Rwanda announced that it was ending diplomatic relations with Belgium and ordered Belgian diplomats to leave the country.
Belgium’s embassy in Kigali subsequently closed. Belgian authorities said at the time that Rwanda’s decision had affected the embassy’s operations and that visa applicants from Rwanda were required to submit applications through Nairobi.
The renewed diplomatic ties now provide a framework for Rwanda and Belgium to resume formal bilateral engagement through their respective diplomatic missions, while continuing dialogue on areas where differences remain.
