Geneva Negotiations Test the Durability of Rwanda-DRC Peace Accord

Representatives from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda are set to convene in Geneva on September 16 and 17 for critical discussions regarding the implementation of the 2025 Washington Accords. The two-day session of the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism (JSCM) will include mediators from the United States, Qatar, Togo, and the African Union Commission, an body created to oversee security obligations between the neighboring nations.

The talks occur against a backdrop of continued armed conflict in eastern DRC and unresolved key provisions of the peace process. The original accord was signed in Washington, DC, on June 27, 2025, with the December 4 Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity later reaffirming the parties’ dedication to executing that agreement.

Central to the diplomatic effort are mutual security pledges: the DRC is tasked with neutralizing the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), while Rwanda is expected to disengage its military forces and remove defensive measures. The upcoming September discussions will determine whether both sides can advance on these specific obligations.

This agreement is part of a broader initiative to conclude decades of instability in eastern DRC, a region bordering Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi that has suffered from persistent armed group activity. The conflict has historically pulled in neighboring states; Rwanda contends that armed factions operating from Congolese soil threaten its security, whereas the DRC government accuses Kigali of backing groups aiming to expand their influence and territory in the east.

A US State Department spokesperson emphasized the diplomatic goals, stating that the accords establish a roadmap for peace, security, and significant economic growth through regional integration.

Despite these aims, violence persists. A September analysis by Security Council Report indicated that clashes between the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) and the M23 rebel group have continued in North and South Kivu. The report noted that neither the neutralization of the FDLR nor the lifting of Rwanda’s defensive measures has been declared complete.

Rwanda continues to allege that the DRC supports, arms, and collaborates with the FDLR. Originating from militias and former army units linked to the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, the FDLR remains a primary security concern for Kigali. Conversely, Kinshasa accuses Rwanda of supporting M23, claims that Kigali denies. M23, which re-emerged in 2022 after a previous iteration in 2012, achieved significant territorial gains in 2025, capturing the provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu.

Although not a signatory to the Washington agreement, M23 is integral to the conflict resolution strategy. The US-backed framework requires both Rwanda and the DRC to support a Qatar-led dialogue between Kinshasa and M23, which resulted in the Doha Framework for Peace signed on November 15, 2025.

The current meeting follows a JSCM session in August, where both nations agreed to propose initiatives for enhanced monitoring and verification of the accords to the United States. During that session, the DRC also presented its Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) plan for the FDLR and agreed to a trilateral planning conference in October.

The issue of FDLR neutralization remains a major point of contention. On July 28, the Congolese government announced that a faction of the FDLR had signed a protocol for disarmament and cantonment, viewing it as progress toward treaty obligations. Rwanda rejected this development, arguing that the agreement mandates neutralization rather than negotiation, and reiterated accusations that Kinshasa continues to support the group.

Progress on the FDLR is directly linked to Rwanda’s own commitments, particularly the withdrawal of its forces and the removal of border defenses, which Kigali maintains are necessary for national security. As the Geneva talks begin, the FDLR dispute is expected to remain the central obstacle as the two countries attempt to resolve the core issues of their long-standing dispute.