The M23 issue is “being addressed” through the Doha talks, and the FDLR through the mechanism provided by the CONOPS adopted in Luanda

The Rwandan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olivier Nduhungirehe, stated on Friday that the peace agreement signed in Washington between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda is intended to build upon the ongoing negotiations in Doha between Kinshasa and the AFC/M23 to address issues related to this rebel armed group.

“In the agreement we signed, we incorporated the concept of operations for the neutralization of the FDLR […] as well as the lifting of Rwanda’s defensive measures. […] Regarding the M23, we have decided to rely on the Doha talks,” Mr. Nduhungirehe said during a ceremony attended by Donald Trump.

The discussions taking place in Doha between the AFC/M23 – an armed group active in Eastern DRC and alleged to be supported by Kigali – and the Congolese government aim to reach a separate peace agreement that would complement the one signed in Washington, according to Kigali.

This bilateral agreement, sponsored by the United States and signed on June 27 by both foreign ministers, seeks to end decades of conflict in Eastern DRC. It notably includes military disengagement, cessation of support for armed groups, the return of displaced persons, and regional economic integration.

However, several challenges remain: the FDLR group, which is targeted by the agreement, is not part of the discussions, and the AFC/M23 continues to occupy several localities in the North and South Kivu provinces. The text negotiated in Doha, intended to complement the Washington agreement, has not yet been finalized.

A summit between the Congolese and Rwandan presidents, Félix Tshisekedi and Paul Kagame, is scheduled for the end of July at the White House to review the implementation of the commitments.