DRC and Rwanda Take New Steps to Strengthen Peace Agreement Monitoring in Geneva Talks

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda have agreed to advance two key initiatives aimed at strengthening the monitoring and verification of the implementation of their Washington Accords. This development followed the sixth meeting of the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism (JSCM) held in Geneva on August 12-13.

Representatives from the two countries, alongside the United States, Qatar, Togo, and the African Union Commission, participated in the discussions. In a joint statement issued on Friday, the parties involved asked the United States to review the two proposed initiatives and provide feedback at the upcoming JSCM meeting.

“The parties agreed to a trilateral planning conference in October 2026 that will culminate in a revised Operations Order guiding their coordinated efforts,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on Friday.

During the sessions, the African Union Commission briefed participants on the outcomes of its High-Level Meeting held in Gaborone, Botswana, on July 24-25. Additionally, the DRC presented its Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) Plan for the Forces Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda (FDLR), addressing questions raised by JSCM members. The JSCM also conducted a virtual session with the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) to leverage its operational experience regarding DDR in the region.

Both the DRC and Rwanda expressed their gratitude to the US, Qatar, Togo, and the African Union Commission for their continued support throughout the peace process. The next JSCM meeting is scheduled for September 16-17 in Geneva.

Qatar has maintained a pivotal role in resolving the conflict in eastern DRC by facilitating talks between the Congolese government and AFC/M23. Doha previously hosted direct negotiations that led to the signing of the Doha Framework for Peace in November 2025. Qatar has also collaborated with the US, Togo, and the African Union Commission within the JSCM to support the implementation of the DRC-Rwanda peace agreement, which includes the Washington Peace Agreement signed on June 27, 2025, to promote stability in the Great Lakes region.