The Rwandan military mission to support the Mozambican Defense and Security Forces in the fight against terrorism in Cabo Delgado province could be negatively affected after the European Union (EU) sanctions against Rwanda.

"In the same way, we have called for the range of sanctions to be extended, and Belgium has also referred to the fact that it is withdrawing financial support given to the Rwandan army in Mozambique," admitted Belgium's Deputy Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Maxime Prévot, this week.

It should be remembered that the European bloc, through the European Peace Facility, approved, on November 18, 2024, the budget of 20 million euros for the counter-terrorism actions of Rwandan troops in Mozambique.

Because Rwanda supports the "terrorist" group M23 in destabilizing the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the EU said in February of this year that it might block financial endorsement for Rwandan troops in Mozambican territory.

"What is clear is that for Belgium the time had come for the EU to impose sanctions on Rwanda, to say that we do not support the insidious way in which the country acts with M23 to destabilize eastern Congo and undermine the territorial integrity of the DRC," he said in an interview with RTP.

He said that he knew little about the fact that Mozambique was going through a difficult post-election period, but said that this was not an obstacle to applying sanctions to Rwanda, as long as they were consistent.

"The will of the European Union is not to add difficulties to difficulties, but we must be consistent in the decisions we take, including when it comes to sending signals of sanctions with regard to Rwanda. But we also maintain a capacity to move forward in stages and, I suppose, to be able to strengthen sanctions if necessary," he noted.

Rwanda expels Belgian diplomats over DRC conflict

Rwandan military forces - more than 2,500 - have been in Cabo Delgado since 2021 to support the Mozambican military in the fight against terrorism. A private security company from Rwanda protects the TotalEnergies facilities in Palma.