English
Kinyarwanda
DRC and Rwanda Agree to Speed Up Peace Plan at Geneva Talks
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda agreed to speed up the implementation of the Washington Accords which include “accelerating efforts on the neutralization of the FDLR and disengagement of forces/lifting of defensive measures” during high-level peace talks in Geneva, Switzerland, on July 15-16, according to the joint statement.
The agreement was reached during the fifth meeting of the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism (JSCM).
The representatives from both countries, alongside mediators from the United States, Qatar, Togo, and the African Union Commission, met at the U.S. Mission to evaluate the security crisis in eastern DRC.
To ensure transparency, the statement stated that both nations agreed to "explore possible verification mechanisms to facilitate implementation of the Washington Accords."
During the meeting, the United Nations peacekeeping mission (MONUSCO) briefed the parties on its Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration program.
Officials also discussed how “its work contributes to the objectives of the Washington Accords through FDLR repatriation, and identified next steps to strengthen coordination going forward.”
Both governments also committed to sharing regular information about developments on the ground in eastern DRC. They thanked the U.S., Qatar, the African Union, and Togo for their mediation support.
Reaffirming their commitment to ending the conflict, the parties stated: "The Washington Accords represent an historic opportunity to unlock security and prosperity for people in the Great Lakes region."
The DRC and Rwanda agreed to meet again in the coming weeks to review their progress.
