The United States has announced that Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have agreed to accelerate the implementation of the Washington D.C. agreement, focusing on respecting each country’s sovereignty, dismantling the FDLR, and ensuring the protection of civilians.
This follows high-level talks held in Washington D.C. between March 17 and 18, 2026, bringing together delegations from both countries to advance the peace and cooperation framework previously agreed upon.
In a joint statement released by the U.S. Department of State, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to reducing tensions and building on the progress already made toward achieving lasting peace and stability in the region.
The two countries agreed on concrete steps, including mutual respect for territorial integrity, with the DRC expected to intensify efforts to dismantle the FDLR, while Rwanda indicated it would lift its defensive measures once the underlying security concerns are resolved.
The statement noted: “The DRC and Rwanda reaffirm their commitment to implementing the Washington agreement in pursuit of peace and prosperity in the region.”
The Washington agreement was initially signed on June 27, 2025, by the foreign ministers of both countries with facilitation from the United States, focusing primarily on addressing security challenges in eastern DRC, including the neutralization of the FDLR.
It was later reaffirmed on December 4, 2025, when Paul Kagame and Felix Tshisekedi signed it in the presence of U.S. President Donald Trump, with additional provisions on economic cooperation.
However, implementation has faced challenges, with Rwanda maintaining that its defensive measures will only be lifted after the FDLR is dismantled, while concerns persist over delays by the DRC in fulfilling its commitments.
