DR Congo and Rwanda to Begin Implementing Security Measures Under Peace Agreement on October 1

 The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda have agreed to begin implementing security measures under a US-mediated peace agreement starting October 1, according to a report by Reuters citing its sources.

The agency reports that the parties intend to complete the implementation of these measures by the end of the year. The plan also includes provisions for neutralizing the armed group known as the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).

On June 27, Rwanda and the DRC signed a peace agreement in Washington, D.C. The accord includes provisions for respecting territorial integrity, a prohibition on military action, and the disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration of non-state armed groups. The parties are establishing a bilateral security coordination mechanism, facilitating the return of refugees and internally displaced persons, ensuring access for humanitarian aid, and reaffirming the mandate of the UN Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO).

A second meeting of the Joint Oversight Committee for the agreement's implementation took place in Washington on September 3. Participants acknowledged a slowdown in the process but reaffirmed their commitment to fully implementing the agreements. The committee also welcomed the creation of a joint secretariat comprising the East African Community (EAC), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the African Union to provide technical support for the negotiations.

Tensions between the DRC and Rwanda escalated following the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, when hundreds of thousands of Hutus, including perpetrators of the massacres, fled into DRC territory. This instability led to two Congo Wars (1996-1997 and 1998-2003), involving Rwanda and several other regional states. In recent years, the primary source of tension has been the activity of the rebel M23 movement in eastern DRC. Kinshasa accuses Kigali of supporting M23, while Rwanda denies these allegations and points to the presence of FDLR militants in the neighboring country.

The ongoing conflict is also fueled by the struggle for control over deposits of coltan and cobalt, crucial resources for battery and electronics manufacturing. Attempts to resolve the conflict have been mediated by the African Union, the East African Community (EAC), Qatar, and the United States, yet fighting between M23 and the Congolese army in the east of the country persists.

Arthur Aminov