THE Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda are set to sign a peace agreement in Washington, D.C., on June 27, according to a joint statement released by both governments and the U.S. State Department.
The agreement aims to end the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo, where the Congolese government has long accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebel group.
U.N. experts have reported that Rwanda has deployed an estimated 4,000 troops in support of the rebels.
The decades-long unrest escalated earlier this year when M23 fighters captured the strategic city of Goma in January, followed by Bukavu in February.
The upcoming peace deal includes commitments to respect each nation’s territorial integrity, end hostilities, and promote the disengagement, disarmament, and conditional reintegration of non-state armed groups.
Previous peace efforts—including talks hosted by Qatar—have failed to yield lasting results. The new agreement seeks to break that pattern by establishing enforceable terms and international backing.
Despite the diplomatic progress, some remain skeptical. Corneille Nangaa, leader of the Congo River Alliance—a coalition of armed factions—told the Associated Press in April that neither U.S. sanctions nor proposed mineral agreements would be enough to halt the fighting.
The eastern DRC remains a flashpoint, with over 100 armed groups battling for control in the mineral-rich region.
The conflict has triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, displacing more than 7 million people.
