Wambui Faith
The United States hosted officials from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda in Washington over two days of talks aimed at reviving the stalled peace process in eastern DRC.
This meeting marked the first direct engagement between the two sides since the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on the Rwanda Defence Force and four of its senior officers on March 2. Washington has accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebel group, a claim Kigali strongly denies.
The M23 rebels launched a rapid offensive in January 2025 and continue to control significant parts of eastern DRC.
According to a joint statement released by the US State Department, the DRC and Rwanda agreed on coordinated steps to ease tensions and make progress on the ground. These include respecting each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, Rwanda withdrawing forces from designated areas in DRC, and the DRC intensifying efforts to dismantle the FDLR militia, while ensuring civilian protection.
The FDLR was formed by Hutu fighters who fled Rwanda following the Rwandan genocide, which claimed nearly one million lives. Meanwhile, M23 claims its mission is to defend ethnic Tutsi communities in eastern DRC.
In December, Rwanda and the DRC signed a peace agreement in Washington as part of efforts led by Donald Trump to promote stability and attract Western investment.
However, tensions quickly resurfaced when M23 fighters entered the eastern city of Uvira near the Burundian border—marking one of the most significant escalations in recent months. Although they later withdrew under US pressure, Washington has warned that their continued presence near Burundi risks triggering a wider regional conflict.
This meeting marked the first direct engagement between the two sides since the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on the Rwanda Defence Force and four of its senior officers on March 2. Washington has accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebel group, a claim Kigali strongly denies.
The M23 rebels launched a rapid offensive in January 2025 and continue to control significant parts of eastern DRC.
According to a joint statement released by the US State Department, the DRC and Rwanda agreed on coordinated steps to ease tensions and make progress on the ground. These include respecting each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, Rwanda withdrawing forces from designated areas in DRC, and the DRC intensifying efforts to dismantle the FDLR militia, while ensuring civilian protection.
The FDLR was formed by Hutu fighters who fled Rwanda following the Rwandan genocide, which claimed nearly one million lives. Meanwhile, M23 claims its mission is to defend ethnic Tutsi communities in eastern DRC.
In December, Rwanda and the DRC signed a peace agreement in Washington as part of efforts led by Donald Trump to promote stability and attract Western investment.
However, tensions quickly resurfaced when M23 fighters entered the eastern city of Uvira near the Burundian border—marking one of the most significant escalations in recent months. Although they later withdrew under US pressure, Washington has warned that their continued presence near Burundi risks triggering a wider regional conflict.
