KIGALI
\nNational and international NGOs working in Rwanda have been banned from cooperating with Belgian institutions, the Rwanda Governance Board said, after Kigali cut off diplomatic ties with Brussels earlier this month.
\nThe RGB, which oversees service delivery in the east African nation, said the ban also extended to \u201cfaith-based organizations\u201d and common-benefit companies.
\nRwanda\u2019s government severed links with Belgium on March 17, accusing it of having \u201cconsistently undermined\u201d it during the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
\nBelgium, the former colonial power in Rwanda and the DRC, called the move \u201cdisproportionate\u201d and promised tit-for-tat measures on Rwandan diplomats.
\nRwandan troops are supporting the M23 armed group in the DRC, which has taken control of large swathes of the mineral-rich east of the country since 2021.
\nThe group launched a lightning push earlier this year, capturing the cities of Goma and Bukavu, the capitals of North and South Kivu provinces.
\nThe RGB said any current projects or agreements with the Belgian government or its affiliates were \u201cprohibited\u201d and \u201cmust be terminated immediately and reported.\u201d
\n\u201cNo funds, grants, donations, or financial contributions shall be received from or disbursed to the government of Belgium, its institutions, affiliated agencies or programs,\u201d it said in a statement issued Thursday.
\n\u201cAny attempts to circumvent these financial restrictions, including indirect transactions through subsidiaries or partner organizations, will be subject to strict penalties.\u201d
\nPolitical and human rights activist Pelly Prudence Iraguha said the decision should have been submitted to parliament.
\nBut RGB chief executive Doris Uwicyeza Picard wrote on X: \u201cRGB has powers to take such decisions backed by laws passed by parliament.
\n\u201cThese laws give RGB powers to suspend NGOs involved in activities that infringe on citizens unity or security.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
KIGALI National and international NGOs working in Rwanda have been banned from cooperating with Belgian institutions, the Rwanda Governance Board said, after Kigali cut off diplomatic ties with Brussels earlier this month. The RGB, which oversees service delivery in the east African nation, said the ban also extended to \u201cfaith-based organizations\u201d and common-benefit companies. Rwanda\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":469831,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-469818","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n