Germany said on Tuesday it had halted new development aid to Rwanda and was reviewing its existing commitments in response to the African nation's role in the conflict in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.
The German development ministry said Berlin had informed Rwanda in advance of the move and urged it to withdraw support for the M23 rebel group, which has made advances in eastern Congo.
Congo, U.N. experts and Western powers accuse Rwanda of backing the group. Rwanda denies this and says it is defending itself against ethnic Hutu-led militias bent on slaughtering Tutsis in Congo and threatening Rwanda.
Rwanda's foreign ministry called Germany's action "wrong and counterproductive".
"Countries like Germany that bear a historical responsibility for the recurring instability in this region should know better than to apply one-sided, coercive measures," Rwanda's foreign ministry said in a statement late on Tuesday.
The German ministry said Berlin last pledged aid of 93.6 million euros ($98 million) to Rwanda in October 2022 for the period 2022 to 2024.
The M23 group has captured swathes of eastern Congo and valuable mineral deposits since January.
The ongoing onslaught is the gravest escalation of a long-running conflict rooted in the spillover into Congo of Rwanda's 1994 genocide and the struggle for control of Congo's vast mineral resources.
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Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi on Monday accused Rwanda of failing to uphold its commitments under a U.S.-brokered peace agreement aimed at ending years of conflict in the mineral-rich eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
President Ilham Aliyev and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame had a one-on-one meeting in Baku, as Kagame pays a working visit to Azerbaijan.
Rwanda on Friday denied claims that M23 rebels, allegedly supported by Kigali, massacred hundreds of civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, calling the accusations “unfounded” and lacking credible evidence.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Saturday (17 January) that concerns over security in Greenland should be addressed within the framework of NATO, describing a ground military intervention as highly unlikely.
Elon Musk is seeking up to $134 billion from OpenAI and Microsoft, arguing that the companies profited unfairly from his early support of the artificial intelligence firm, according to a court filing made public on Friday.
European leaders voiced growing alarm on Sunday over U.S. threats to impose tariffs on eight NATO allies, warning the move could destabilize transatlantic relations and heighten tensions in the Arctic.
Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani has died at the age of 93, his foundation said on Monday.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has signed a decree recognising Kurdish language rights, as government forces advanced against U.S.-backed Kurdish-led fighters despite U.S. calls for restraint.
Bulgaria’s President Rumen Radev said on Monday that he will resign from office, fuelling speculation that he may form his own political party ahead of upcoming parliamentary elections.
Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani has died at the age of 93, his foundation said on Monday.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has spoken with US President Donald Trump as Washington plans to impose 10 per cent tariffs on the UK and several European allies.
Afghanistan and Qatar have signalled interest in expanding cooperation in investment and agriculture during talks in Doha, as Afghanistan’s defence chief attended a major regional defence exhibition.
U.S. President Donald Trump's threat of imposing trade tariffs on European countries is a maximalist move designed to force concessions on Greenland, according to geopolitical analyst Ana Evans.
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