The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda have taken a significant step towards implementing a peace deal, holding their first meeting of a joint oversight committee in Washington. The meeting, attended by representatives from the African Union, Qatar, and the United States, aimed to discuss progress on implementing the agreement signed in June.
According to a joint statement released by Rwanda and DRC on social media, the committee “discussed progress on implementing the agreement” among other things. The peace deal, brokered by the US, aims to bring an end to decades of conflict in eastern DRC, which has resulted in thousands of deaths and displaced millions of people.
The agreement outlines provisions for “respect for territorial integrity and halting hostilities” in eastern DRC, but these provisions are yet to be implemented. Additionally, the deal includes economic measures, although details are scarce. Under the Washington agreement, the two African countries pledged to implement a 2024 deal that would see Rwandan troops withdraw from eastern DRC within 90 days.
However, 30 days have passed since the signing without a meeting of the joint security coordination mechanism, and operations targeting the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and the withdrawal of Rwandan soldiers have yet to begin. Massad Boulos, Trump’s senior Africa adviser, assured that the deal is not off track, stating, “If you look at the chronology of what we’ve been able to do since April, it’s been extensive, and it’s been very much on point and very much in line with our aspirations. So it’s not off track in any way.”
Sources close to the negotiations acknowledge delays in implementing the deal but emphasize that these delays do not yet threaten the agreement as a whole. Military and diplomatic sources report that parties to the conflict, including armed groups such as Rwanda-backed M23 and DRC-aligned fighter groups known as Wazalendo, have strengthened their military presence on the front lines.
The conflict in eastern DRC has been fueled by the presence of various armed groups, including the FDLR, which is composed of remnants of Rwanda’s former army and fighter groups that carried out the 1994 genocide. Rwanda denies providing military support to the M23 rebel group, but the DRC accuses Rwanda of sending troops and weapons to support the rebels.
The peace deal is seen as a breakthrough in talks held by the US administration, aiming to bring stability to the region and access to key minerals such as cobalt, gold, and lithium. The region’s rich natural resources have been a significant factor in the ongoing conflict. With millions of people displaced and thousands killed, the success of the peace deal is crucial for the humanitarian situation in eastern DRC.²