Geneva Peace Talks Face Critical Test in Ongoing DRC and Rwanda Conflict

The Washington peace deal between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo faces a key test in Geneva on September 16-17, as both sides return to negotiations regarding its implementation. More than a year after the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda signed an agreement aimed at ending their confrontation, the two nations are back at the negotiating table, even though the guns in eastern Congo have not gone quiet.

The dispute encompasses the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), Rwanda's military presence in Congolese territory, and M23's control over large parts of the east. While the DRC and Rwanda negotiate in Geneva, Kinshasa is simultaneously pursuing a separate dialogue with the political alliance backing M23. For Josue Akuzwe Walayi, a pro-democracy activist speaking from Kinshasa, another round of diplomacy will yield little meaning unless citizens observe a tangible change in their daily lives, noting that fields continue to be ravaged and further displacement is reported.

At the center of the division is the FDLR, an armed group originating from the aftermath of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. Kigali views the group's presence near the border as a security threat, while Kinshasa argues that Rwanda's security concerns do not justify foreign military presence on Congolese soil. Meanwhile, M23 operates under the political umbrella of the Congo River Alliance (AFC), which has engaged in a separate Qatar-led dialogue with Kinshasa, demonstrating how interconnected yet parallel these conflicts remain.

Civilians in Goma, such as Sadiki Bitha and Herve Amani, continue to measure diplomacy against real-world security improvements, enduring displacement and violence while hoping that the Geneva meetings can finally help silence the guns.