Geneva meeting tests implementation of Rwanda-DRC peace framework

Officials from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda are scheduled to return to Geneva on September 16 and 17 to discuss implementation of the 2025 Washington Accords.

The two-day meeting of the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism (JSCM) will include representatives from both countries and mediators from the United States, Qatar, Togo and the African Union Commission. The mechanism was created to oversee and coordinate the security commitments made by the two governments.

The talks take place as fighting continues in eastern DRC and several major obligations under the peace process remain unresolved.

The DRC and Rwanda signed their peace agreement in Washington, DC, on June 27, 2025. The Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity, signed on December 4, reaffirmed the parties’ commitment to carrying out that agreement.

Central to the security arrangements are the DRC’s commitment to neutralise the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and Rwanda’s commitment to disengage its forces and lift defensive measures.

What is at stake?

The September meeting will assess whether the two governments can make further progress on those commitments.

The agreement forms part of a broader diplomatic effort to end decades of conflict in eastern DRC, a region bordering Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi that has been repeatedly destabilised by armed groups and fighting.

The conflict has repeatedly pulled neighbouring states into the eastern DRC. Rwanda has long warned that armed groups operating from Congolese territory threaten its security, while the Congolese government has accused Kigali of backing armed factions seeking territory and influence in the east.

A US Department of State spokesperson said the Washington Accords reaffirmed the parties’ commitment to implementing the June 2025 peace agreement and advancing a regional economic integration framework designed to support peace, security and economic growth.

Despite those diplomatic assurances, fighting has continued.

In a September forecast, Security Council Report said clashes between the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) and the M23 armed group continued in North and South Kivu, two provinces in eastern DRC. It also reported that two core obligations under the Washington process—the neutralisation of the FDLR and Rwanda’s lifting of defensive measures—had not been declared complete.

Rwanda has repeatedly accused the DRC of supporting, arming and cooperating with the FDLR.

The FDLR traces its origins to forces and militias that fled Rwanda after the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. Some members were associated with the former Rwandan army and the Interahamwe militia. The group remains active in eastern DRC and has long been a major security concern for Rwanda.

Kinshasa, in turn, has accused Rwanda of supporting M23, allegations that Kigali denies.

M23 first emerged as a significant armed movement in 2012. After withdrawing from territory it had controlled, the group re-emerged in 2022 and began a new offensive in eastern DRC.

It achieved substantial territorial gains in 2025, including the capture of Goma, the capital of North Kivu, and Bukavu, the capital of neighbouring South Kivu.

Although M23 is not a signatory to the Washington agreement, it remains central to efforts to resolve the wider conflict.

The US-backed process requires Rwanda and the DRC to support a separate, Qatar-led dialogue between Kinshasa and M23. That process resulted in the Doha Framework for Peace, signed by the Congolese government and the Congo River Alliance (AFC/M23) in Doha on November 15, 2025.

Where things stand

The September meeting follows the sixth JSCM session, held in Geneva on August 12 and 13.

During that meeting, the DRC and Rwanda agreed to advance two initiatives intended to strengthen the monitoring and verification of the Washington Accords on the ground. They asked the United States to review the proposals and provide feedback at the next JSCM session.

The DRC also presented its Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) plan for the FDLR and answered questions from members of the JSCM.

The parties further agreed to hold a trilateral planning conference in October, which will conclude with a revised operations order to guide their coordinated efforts.

The FDLR dispute

Resolving the issue of FDLR neutralisation is expected to remain one of the most difficult challenges.

On July 28, the Congolese government said a faction of the FDLR had accepted and signed a protocol on disarmament, demobilisation and cantonment. Kinshasa presented the development as progress toward meeting its obligations under the Washington agreement.

Rwanda rejected the move, arguing that the agreement calls for the FDLR to be neutralised rather than negotiated with. Kigali has also accused Kinshasa of continuing to support the group.

The disagreement is significant because progress on the FDLR is linked to Rwanda’s own commitments under the Washington process.

Rwanda has maintained that its security measures along the DRC border are necessary to protect it from armed groups operating in eastern DRC. Under the Washington agreement, Rwanda is expected to disengage its forces and remove those defensive measures as part of the broader security arrangements.

At the September meeting, the FDLR dispute is likely to remain a central point of contention as the two governments seek to resolve the commitments at the heart of their disagreement.

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