Paul Kagame has also accused the country of lobbying for sanctions against Kigali

Rwandan President Paul Kagame has highlighted Belgium's role in dividing the region during colonial rule, which led to families being separated across borders.

Speaking at the Presidential Citizen Outreach event at BK Arena in Kigali on Sunday, he said, "one of the misfortunes we have is having been colonized by a small country, similar in size to Rwanda, which partitioned Rwanda to match its own size."

"They [Belgium] killed Rwandans 30 years ago and have continued to return to finish off the survivors. We warned them before, and we are doing so again," he added.

The president claimed that Western nations are enforcing sanctions on Kigali under Belgium's influence. Kagame reiterated that Rwanda is not responsible for starting the war it is being accused of, but stressed that the country would resist the underlying agendas driving the conflict.

"If Rwanda is to be blamed for problems created by countries unwilling to care for their people, we have no choice but to fight. When resources are limited, we rely on relentless will and courage to defend ourselves," Kagame said.

He called on the people of Rwanda to be resilient in the face of external challenges, reinforce national unity, and uphold peaceful relations with other nations grounded in mutual respect.

The remarks come amid escalating tensions between Rwanda and Belgium over the conflict in eastern DRC in February. Belgium has aligned with Kinshasa, accusing Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels, who have seized major cities in the region. Kigali has denied accusations of supporting the rebels. In response, Rwanda suspended its 2024-29 bilateral aid program with Belgium, accusing it of interfering with regional peace efforts and politicizing development finance. 

Rwanda's Ministry of Foreign Affairs claims that Belgium has led an "aggressive campaign" with the DRC to sabotage Rwanda's development funding, describing the move as external interference which undermines African-led mediation processes to resolve the crisis in eastern DRC. The ministry stressed that development partnerships must be based on mutual respect and that Rwanda will not be bullied or blackmailed into compromising national security.

Belgium's deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, Maxime Prevot, acknowledged Rwanda's decision to suspend the aid program and stated that Belgium is already reviewing its cooperation with Rwanda due to concerns over Rwanda's alleged violation of the DRC's territorial integrity. 

READ MORE: DR Congo agrees to hold peace talks with rebels

The suspension affects around 95 million ($104 million) in development aid, which targeted healthcare systems and public financial management through 2029.