KIGALI: National and international NGOs working in Rwanda have been banned from cooperating with Belgian institutions, the Rwanda Governance Board said, after Kigali cut off diplomatic ties with Brussels earlier this month.
The RGB, which oversees service delivery in the east African nation, said the ban also extended to “faith-based organizations” and common-benefit companies.
Rwanda’s government severed links with Belgium on March 17, accusing it of having “consistently undermined” it during the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Belgium, the former colonial power in Rwanda and the DRC, called the move “disproportionate” and promised tit-for-tat measures on Rwandan diplomats.
Rwandan troops are supporting the M23 armed group in the DRC, which has taken control of large swathes of the mineral-rich east of the country since 2021.
The group launched a lightning push earlier this year, capturing the cities of Goma and Bukavu, the capitals of North and South Kivu provinces.
The RGB said any current projects or agreements with the Belgian government or its affiliates were “prohibited” and “must be terminated immediately and reported.”
“No funds, grants, donations, or financial contributions shall be received from or disbursed to the government of Belgium, its institutions, affiliated agencies or programs,” it said in a statement issued Thursday.
“Any attempts to circumvent these financial restrictions, including indirect transactions through subsidiaries or partner organizations, will be subject to strict penalties.”
Political and human rights activist Pelly Prudence Iraguha said the decision should have been submitted to parliament.
But RGB chief executive Doris Uwicyeza Picard wrote on X: “RGB has powers to take such decisions backed by laws passed by parliament.
“These laws give RGB powers to suspend NGOs involved in activities that infringe on citizens unity or security.”
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Rwanda bans ‘any kind of cooperation’ with Belgian government
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Rwanda bans ‘any kind of cooperation’ with Belgian government
- The ban also extends ‘faith-based organizations’ and common-benefit companies
- Rwanda’s government severed links with Belgium on March 17
Vietnam urges factories to cut output as Hanoi chokes on smog
HANOI: Industrial plants in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi have come under renewed pressure to scale back their operations as authorities respond to a week of heavy and hazardous smog in the city.
Vietnam’s Ministry of Health earlier this week urged power, steel and chemical plants to cut output when the air quality index exceeds 200. The index gauges the volumes of hazardous small particles known as PM2.5 that are in the air.
The AQI hit 243 midday on Thursday, putting Hanoi fourth on the list of the world’s most-polluted cities, according to AirVisual, which provides independent global air pollution information via a phone app.
The city has topped the list on a number of occasions this week, according to the app, a position it also held in January.
The Southeast Asian country, a regional manufacturing hub which is urbanizing rapidly, has been suffering from severe air pollution for years, especially in Hanoi.
“My eyes are itchy, and there’s always a blanket of smog that blocks my vision,” said Hanoi resident Pham Thu Giang, 30. “I have to wear a mask all the time.”
The authorities have identified transportation, industrial production, construction activities and the burning of garbage and agricultural residue as the main sources of air pollution in the city.
“Gasoline-powered motorbikes are used widely in Hanoi, making them a major source of air pollution,” Le Thanh Thuy, an official of the city’s department of agriculture and environment, told local media on Thursday.
The city will impose partial bans on gasoline-powered motorbikes in downtown areas from mid-2026 and will gradually expand the ban thereafter to fossil-fuel-powered cars.
“The current air conditions are very dangerous for the capital Hanoi,” said 75-year old resident Luong Van Toi. “I feel very tired.”
If Hanoi’s AQI is converted into actual PM2.5 concentrations, the pollution this week could be as much as 50 times the 5-microgram/cu m level recommended by the World Health Organization.
Vietnam’s Ministry of Health earlier this week urged power, steel and chemical plants to cut output when the air quality index exceeds 200. The index gauges the volumes of hazardous small particles known as PM2.5 that are in the air.
The AQI hit 243 midday on Thursday, putting Hanoi fourth on the list of the world’s most-polluted cities, according to AirVisual, which provides independent global air pollution information via a phone app.
The city has topped the list on a number of occasions this week, according to the app, a position it also held in January.
The Southeast Asian country, a regional manufacturing hub which is urbanizing rapidly, has been suffering from severe air pollution for years, especially in Hanoi.
“My eyes are itchy, and there’s always a blanket of smog that blocks my vision,” said Hanoi resident Pham Thu Giang, 30. “I have to wear a mask all the time.”
The authorities have identified transportation, industrial production, construction activities and the burning of garbage and agricultural residue as the main sources of air pollution in the city.
“Gasoline-powered motorbikes are used widely in Hanoi, making them a major source of air pollution,” Le Thanh Thuy, an official of the city’s department of agriculture and environment, told local media on Thursday.
The city will impose partial bans on gasoline-powered motorbikes in downtown areas from mid-2026 and will gradually expand the ban thereafter to fossil-fuel-powered cars.
“The current air conditions are very dangerous for the capital Hanoi,” said 75-year old resident Luong Van Toi. “I feel very tired.”
If Hanoi’s AQI is converted into actual PM2.5 concentrations, the pollution this week could be as much as 50 times the 5-microgram/cu m level recommended by the World Health Organization.
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