Information
The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda have announced they will sign a peace agreement on June 27 in Washington, aiming to end the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo. The draft deal, already initiated by technical teams from both countries, comes amid pressure from the United States, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio set to witness the signing. The agreement includes commitments to respect territorial integrity, halt hostilities, and implement disengagement, disarmament, and conditional integration of non-state armed groups. It builds on a declaration signed in April and is seen as a major step in the Trump administration’s effort to bring stability to the region and encourage Western investment in its mineral-rich areas.
However, doubts remain about the agreement’s effectiveness, especially regarding compliance by the Congo River Alliance, which includes the M23 rebels. Past ceasefires have repeatedly failed, and previous agreements reached under Angolan mediation in 2024 were never ratified by ministers. The situation worsened in early 2025 as M23 rebels, allegedly backed by Rwanda, seized key eastern cities, leading to mass displacement. While Congo accuses Rwanda of direct military support to M23, Rwanda maintains its actions are in self-defense. Despite the upcoming peace deal, the history of broken agreements and ongoing mistrust casts uncertainty over its long-term success.
Source: AFP, AP, Reuters
So What
The second paragraph is likely the critical point here; while the two countries may agree on this peace treaty, this will unlikely flow down to groups like M23, who currently control areas within the DRC. Due to these unresolved tensions, it is likely that this agreement will not last long, even if it does help in the short term.
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