U.S. urges DRC, Rwanda to fully implement Peace Accord

Africa, Politics

LONDON, United Kingdom (NPA) — The United States has welcomed the continued commitment of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda to resolving longstanding tensions through peaceful dialogue, urging both countries to fully implement the Washington Accords without delay.

In a statement on Wednesday, U.S. Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs, Massad Boulos, called on all parties to maintain momentum in implementing the peace agreement, including Rwanda’s commitment to withdraw its forces from eastern DRC and the Congolese government’s pledge to neutralise the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).

Boulos also acknowledged the contributions of Qatar, the African Union and other international partners in supporting the peace process.

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“Sustained engagement, confidence-building measures and the faithful implementation of agreed commitments remain essential to securing lasting peace, stability and prosperity in the Great Lakes region,” he said.

The statement followed the sixth meeting of the Joint Oversight Committee (JOC) on the Peace Agreement between the DRC and Rwanda, held in London on June 24.

The meeting brought together representatives of the DRC, Rwanda, the United States, Qatar, Togo, acting as the African Union mediator, and the African Union Commission.

The committee expressed concern over the renewed fighting in eastern DRC, the impact of drone strikes on civilians and the worsening humanitarian situation, including the ongoing Ebola outbreak.

Participants agreed on the urgent need to strengthen the ceasefire and accelerate implementation of the peace agreement signed by both countries on June 27, 2025.

During the meeting, the DRC updated members on efforts to neutralise the FDLR, while Rwanda provided details of the ongoing disengagement of its forces and the lifting of defensive measures.

Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to fully implement the peace accord, de-escalate tensions—particularly around Minembwe—and use their influence to support peace on the ground.

They also agreed to support the rapid deployment of the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism Plus (EJVM+) to verify compliance with commitments under the Washington Accords.

The two governments pledged to strengthen intelligence sharing through the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism, support ongoing peace negotiations between the DRC and AFC/M23 under the Doha process, and refrain from hostile rhetoric capable of undermining the implementation of the agreement.

The DRC and Rwanda expressed appreciation to the United States, Qatar, Togo and the African Union Commission for their continued support to the peace process and thanked the United Kingdom for hosting the meeting.

The next meeting of the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism is scheduled to take place within the next 15 days.