Belgium and Rwanda have restored diplomatic relations after an 18-month rupture linked to tensions over the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In a joint statement, the two countries thanked Qatar for facilitating their first talks in June 2025 in Doha. The statement attributed the renewed relationship to the Qatari-hosted discussions, although no details were provided on the specific arrangements behind the restoration of ties.

Qatar’s mediation role

Majed al-Ansari, a spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the June 2025 meeting between the Belgian and Rwandan foreign ministers helped produce further diplomatic rapprochement.

“It was a breakthrough meeting between the two foreign ministers, who hadn’t met for a while, addressing a lot of underlying issues,” al-Ansari said.

He said Qatar had been involved in the Great Lakes region for a long period, including mediation involving the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and the M23 armed group.

Al-Ansari also said both Belgium and Rwanda trusted Qatar because of its record of working with the two countries. He described Qatar’s approach as providing a platform and building trust between the parties, with the aim of allowing the diplomatic process to continue.

“This is the way we usually do it. We provide the platform, we provide our trustworthiness, we get the parties involved and then we hope that that trajectory would move in its own right,” he said.

Broader diplomatic efforts

Qatar said it would continue promoting diplomacy in disputes extending from Africa’s Great Lakes region to the Gulf. The country’s foreign minister also met his Iranian counterpart to discuss reducing Gulf tensions and creating conditions for dialogue.

Al-Ansari said Qatar was working with Pakistan, Oman and other Gulf Cooperation Council states toward a diplomatic resolution. He said the immediate priority was to keep communication channels open, maintain exchanges and listen to both sides.

“We do believe that there is no alternative to diplomacy, and we cannot afford to let diplomacy fail,” he said.

Qatari leaders also met United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday during the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Al-Ansari said there had been some movement in negotiations related to the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, despite setbacks in earlier rounds.

He said the consequences of the Iran war, as well as the conflict in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, were being felt internationally and could grow further.

Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, told the United Nations General Assembly that his country sought to resolve disputes through dialogue and negotiations and to “reach just and fair solutions grounded in international law.”