The Government of Rwanda has urged impartiality in the mediation of the conflict in eastern DR Congo, saying the two countries equally need to honour their commitments made in Washington DC in December 2025. This is contained in a Friday, June 5 statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in response to Thursday's remarks by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, including his acknowledgment that Rwanda is fulfilling its commitments under the Washington Accords. ALSO READ: Full text of Washington Accords signed by Kagame, Tshisekedi Rwanda appreciates the continued engagement of the United States, particularly through the Washington Accords, which remain the framework for addressing the root causes of conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the ministry said in the statement. However, it is important to recall that the obligations contained in the Washington Accords bind both Rwanda and the [DR Congo] and require accountability from all parties. ALSO READ: Rwanda warns peace efforts in DR Congo risk failure without concrete action The ministry said the Accords cannot be implemented selectively, nor can obligations to be fulfilled by one party be separated from those to be fulfilled by the other. The problems cannot be solved by partiality. The ministry noted that Rwanda is implementing its commitments under the Accords. However, the statement noted that this is happening at the same time as [DR Congo] is in flagrant violation, through continued state support to the FDLR, a genocidal militia that has operated from Congolese territory for three decades, and remains a direct threat to Rwanda's security, as well as the continued use of armed drones in civilian areas. ALSO READ: Nduhungirehe warns against silence amid genocide ideology, Tutsi persecution in DR Congo Rwanda remains fully committed to the Washington Accords and to working constructively with the United States, regional partners, and other stakeholders to advance peace, security, and prosperity in the Great Lakes region, it added. For months, the Rwandan government has expressed concerns that DR Congo has continued to violate the Washington Accords and ceasefire agreements signed with the AFC/M23 rebels.
