Rwanda, DR Congo officials review progress of Washington peace deal

Representatives of Rwanda and DR Congo met in Washington on Thursday, April 23, for the fifth session of the Joint Oversight Committee, to assess progress in implementing the US-facilitated peace agreement signed in June 2025. The meeting brought together officials from both countries, alongside representatives of the United States as facilitator, Qatar, the African Union Commission, and Togo in its role as African Union mediator. The June 27 agreement outlines a diplomatic framework to ease tensions between the two neighboring countries, centred on the neutralisation of the FDLR, a militia formed by perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and the subsequent lifting of Rwanda’s defensive measures against this threat. According to a joint statement issued on Friday, the Committee reviewed developments since its previous session held on March 17-18 in Washington. “Both Parties presented updates on the implementation of their efforts to de-escalate tensions and advance progress on the ground,” the statement read, without mentioning more details on the progress. The meeting also received an update from Qatar on ongoing negotiations between the Congolese government and the AFC/M23 movement, which are complementary to the Washington process. The talks seek to address underlying drivers of the conflict, including the presence of the FDLR, which, beyond carrying out cross-border attacks against Rwanda, has also been accused of targeting Tutsi communities in eastern DR Congo. These grievances have been cited among the factors behind the AFC/M23 rebellion. “The Committee expressed strong support for these efforts, thanking Switzerland for hosting the latest round of Doha talks, and emphasized the critical role of the Doha process in advancing the broader implementation of the Peace Agreement,” the statement further reads. The latest round of talks was held in Switzerland from April 13-17 after being moved from Doha due to the ongoing war in the Middle East, with the process yet to produce tangible results on the ground. The Committee stressed the need to sustain momentum in the peace process as efforts continue under both tracks. Rwanda has for years raised security concerns about the presence of the FDLR and its collaboration with the Congolese army.

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Rwanda, DR Congo officials review progress of Washington peace deal