The European Commission announced on Friday that it is reviewing its security and cooperation partnership with Rwanda in response to the recent escalated violence in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
"We need to reassess our security and cooperation partnership with Rwanda and consider further steps given the events and violence of the past few days," stated a foreign affairs spokesperson during the daily press briefing when asked by The Brussels Times.
The spokesperson was specifically questioned about the February 2024 EU-Rwanda Memorandum of Understanding on critical raw materials, which Belgium has requested to be suspended.
The spokesperson also addressed concerns about European support for Rwandan anti-terrorist forces in Mozambique and the security dialogue with Rwanda.
This issue is currently being discussed by the EU's 27 Member States. They have already called on the Rwanda-backed rebel group M23 to cease its advance and immediately withdraw from Eastern DRC.
The EU already has sanctions in place against M23 and several individuals associated with it.
