Washington, United States –
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda are set to sign a historic peace agreement on 27 June in Washington, D.C., according to a joint statement issued by both governments and the U.S. State Department on Wednesday.
The deal aims to end the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo, where fighting between the Congolese army and the M23 rebel group has intensified in recent months. The DRC accuses Rwanda of backing the rebels — an allegation supported by UN experts, who estimate that approximately 4,000 Rwandan troops are operating alongside the insurgents.
The agreement includes provisions to respect territorial integrity, prohibit future hostilities, and implement the disengagement, disarmament, and conditional integration of non-state armed groups. It marks a rare diplomatic breakthrough after years of stalled peace talks, including previously unsuccessful negotiations hosted in Qatar.
The conflict escalated sharply earlier this year, with M23 rebels seizing Goma in January and Bukavu in February, raising international alarm. Corneille Nangaa, leader of the Congo River Alliance, warned in April that international sanctions and mineral deals between Congo and the United States alone would not be enough to stop the violence.
Eastern Congo remains a flashpoint for instability, with over 100 armed groups competing for control of mineral-rich territories near the Rwandan border. The conflict has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, displacing more than 7 million people.
