The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda have signed a critical document aimed at advancing the peace process in the DRC’s conflict-ridden eastern region, according to Angola, which has been mediating the talks. The announcement was made on Monday.
Since 2021, the M23 rebel militia, predominantly backed by Kigali and composed mainly of ethnic Tutsi fighters, has taken control of significant portions of eastern DRC. Their actions have displaced thousands of people, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis. In early August, Angola brokered a tenuous truce that temporarily stabilized the frontlines. However, the situation deteriorated again at the end of October, with M23 launching renewed localized offensives.
Despite these ceasefire violations, both the DRC and Rwanda have maintained diplomatic engagement under Angola’s mediation efforts. In early November, the two Central African neighbors established a joint committee to monitor violations of the ceasefire. The committee, led by Angola, includes representatives from both Kinshasa and Kigali.
On Monday, the foreign ministers of the DRC and Rwanda approved a “concept of operations” document—a vital instrument outlining the terms for the disengagement of Rwandan troops from Congolese territory, Angola’s foreign ministry confirmed in a statement. However, the statement did not specify the procedures for implementing the plan.
A previous draft of the plan, dated August, stipulated that dismantling the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR)—a militia formed by former ethnic Hutu leaders involved in Rwanda’s 1994 genocide—would be a precondition for Rwanda’s withdrawal. Kigali has often cited the FDLR as a security threat, despite it being one of several armed groups fighting alongside the Congolese military against the M23.
For over three decades, eastern DRC, a region rich in mineral resources, has been mired in violence fueled by internal and cross-border conflicts.
(AFP)
