The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda have agreed to take concrete steps to ease tensions amid a stalled peace process, after talks hosted by the US in Washington. Conflict in eastern DR Congo has continued despite the two countries signing a peace deal with US President Donald Trump last year.
The pledge to ease tensions comes after the US earlier this month sanctioned the Rwandan Defence Forces and four senior officials and accused Rwanda of directly supporting the M23 rebel group, blaming it for escalating the conflict.
A joint statement by DR Congo, Rwanda and the US says they have agreed to a series of coordinated steps to de-escalate tensions and advance progress on the ground. They pledged to respect each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity, while Rwanda would disengage its forces and lift defensive measures... in defined areas in DR Congo's territory. Meanwhile, DR Congo would intensify time-bound efforts to neutralise the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an armed group that includes some Rwandan ethnic Hutus involved in the 1994 Rwandan genocide and remains active in eastern DR Congo.
Rwanda describes the FDLR as a genocidal militia and says its continued existence in eastern DR Congo threatens its own security. It has repeatedly denied supporting M23 despite overwhelming evidence, asserting that its military presence is a defensive measure against threats from armed groups in DR Congo.
Fighting has persisted in eastern DR Congo despite the US-brokered peace deal in December aimed at ending the long-running conflict. Just days after the signing ceremony, the M23 entered the Congolese city of Uvira near the Burundi border, marking the largest escalation of the conflict in months. Though it later withdrew under US pressure, the group still controls significant portions of eastern DR Congo, including major cities like Goma and Bukavu.
Amidst these tensions, the US government warned that continued Rwandan military support for M23 risks escalating the conflict into a broader regional war. Rwanda has responded by accusing DR Congo of violating the peace agreement with indiscriminate drone attacks and ground offensives.
Recent escalation resulted in drone strikes within DR Congo, killing a French national working for the UN alongside two others last week. The situation remains volatile as both nations navigate the complexities of their historical and ongoing disputes.
The pledge to ease tensions comes after the US earlier this month sanctioned the Rwandan Defence Forces and four senior officials and accused Rwanda of directly supporting the M23 rebel group, blaming it for escalating the conflict.
A joint statement by DR Congo, Rwanda and the US says they have agreed to a series of coordinated steps to de-escalate tensions and advance progress on the ground. They pledged to respect each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity, while Rwanda would disengage its forces and lift defensive measures... in defined areas in DR Congo's territory. Meanwhile, DR Congo would intensify time-bound efforts to neutralise the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an armed group that includes some Rwandan ethnic Hutus involved in the 1994 Rwandan genocide and remains active in eastern DR Congo.
Rwanda describes the FDLR as a genocidal militia and says its continued existence in eastern DR Congo threatens its own security. It has repeatedly denied supporting M23 despite overwhelming evidence, asserting that its military presence is a defensive measure against threats from armed groups in DR Congo.
Fighting has persisted in eastern DR Congo despite the US-brokered peace deal in December aimed at ending the long-running conflict. Just days after the signing ceremony, the M23 entered the Congolese city of Uvira near the Burundi border, marking the largest escalation of the conflict in months. Though it later withdrew under US pressure, the group still controls significant portions of eastern DR Congo, including major cities like Goma and Bukavu.
Amidst these tensions, the US government warned that continued Rwandan military support for M23 risks escalating the conflict into a broader regional war. Rwanda has responded by accusing DR Congo of violating the peace agreement with indiscriminate drone attacks and ground offensives.
Recent escalation resulted in drone strikes within DR Congo, killing a French national working for the UN alongside two others last week. The situation remains volatile as both nations navigate the complexities of their historical and ongoing disputes.
