A decisive step has just been taken in the reconciliation process between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda. According to concordant sources within the US State Department, the two countries initialed a draft peace agreement in Washington on Tuesday, June 17, marking a significant advance in ongoing diplomatic efforts.
This document, the result of technical negotiations engaged in for several weeks, will be officially signed on June 27 during a ministerial meeting. It includes several major commitments, including respect for the territorial integrity of both states, the prohibition of hostilities on the ground, a process of military disengagement, the disarmament of non-state armed groups operating in the region, and a conditional integration of certain groups into national structures, under supervision.
Kinshasa welcomes a “significant advance”
The spokesperson for the Congolese presidency, Tina Salama, confirmed the information on her X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook accounts, welcoming a “significant advance” in resolving the recurring conflict in eastern DRC, regularly fueled by cross-border tensions with Rwanda.
This development comes in a context of strong diplomatic mobilization. The United States, through their representatives, played a central role in facilitating exchanges, convinced of the need for a stable political framework to promote lasting peace and economic development in the Great Lakes region.
What about effective implementation?
A diplomat who participated in the talks, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “Peace is not just a word or a treaty. It’s an attitude. It’s not one side that should win, it’s peace that should triumph.”
Public opinion in the DRC and Rwanda now awaits concrete actions, beyond written commitments. The success of this initiative will depend on its effective implementation, the sincerity of the actors, and their ability to overcome confrontational logics.
