Delegations from Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo met in Geneva, Switzerland, to review the progress made in implementing the peace agreement they signed in Washington on June 27, 2025.
The meeting was held on August 12 and 13, 2026. It was the sixth meeting bringing together members of the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism (JSCM).
The meeting was also attended by representatives from the United States, Qatar, Togo, which was appointed as a mediator by the African Union (AU), as well as the AU Commission.
Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo agreed to continue with two initiatives aimed at strengthening mechanisms for monitoring and overseeing the implementation of the Washington peace agreement, although the details of these initiatives were not disclosed.
The U.S. Department of State said Rwanda and the DRC had asked Washington, as the mediator, to review the initiatives and provide feedback at the next JSCM meeting, scheduled to take place in Geneva on September 16 and 17, 2026.
The two sides also agreed to hold a joint planning meeting in October 2026, during which relevant guidelines would be reviewed.
The DRC also presented its plan to disarm, demobilize and reintegrate FDLR fighters into civilian life, while responding to questions raised by JSCM members.
The DRC’s plan is based on an agreement it reached with the FDLR, which was announced in late July 2026. Rwanda immediately rejected the agreement, arguing that it was not based on the Washington peace agreement.
On August 13, the European Union (EU), the United States, and other Western partner countries called on the DRC government to dismantle the FDLR, as required under the Washington peace agreement.
The EU and these countries, which are part of the International Contact Group (ICG) closely monitoring developments in the Great Lakes region, also reminded the DRC government that cooperating with the FDLR contradicts the commitments it made when it signed the peace agreement.
