The AFC/M23 coalition has insisted it is not bound by the Washington peace agreement signed between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in the United States.
The statement was made by Bertrand Bisimwa, AFC/M23’s deputy leader in charge of political affairs, diplomacy and administration, in response to remarks by U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who accused the group of violating the Washington accord.
Shaheen, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said: “Three months after Rwanda-backed M23 violated the Washington peace agreement, the United States has finally sanctioned the RDF and four of its leaders.”
Bisimwa rejected the claim, arguing that AFC/M23 cannot breach an agreement it neither signed nor is party to.
“Madam, with respect, how can M23 violate an agreement it did not sign and that does not concern it?” Bisimwa said. “The real issue lies in Washington’s understanding of this conflict. You need basic information about this war.”
The Washington agreement was signed by Rwanda and the DRC and focuses on inter-state obligations. It calls on Kinshasa to dismantle the FDLR, which Rwanda considers a security threat, while Rwanda is expected to lift defensive measures put in place along its border.
Separately, talks between the DRC government and AFC/M23 are being held in Doha, Qatar, with the aim of reaching a comprehensive ceasefire. However, President Félix Tshisekedi’s administration has increasingly sought to frame the conflict within the Washington diplomatic track.
Fighting continues in eastern DRC despite ongoing mediation efforts.