Geneva talks put Rwanda-DRC peace deal to the test

What the report says

Officials from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda are set to meet in Geneva on September 16-17 for another round of talks under the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism, which is meant to oversee the 2025 Washington Accords. The meeting includes mediators from the United States, Qatar, Togo and the African Union Commission. According to Al Jazeera, the discussions come as fighting continues in eastern DRC and several core security obligations in the peace process remain unresolved.

The agenda is expected to focus on two central commitments: Congo’s effort to neutralize the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, or FDLR, and Rwanda’s pledged disengagement of forces and removal of defensive measures. The DRC and Rwanda continue to disagree sharply over these issues. Kinshasa says it has taken steps toward disarmament and reintegration, while Kigali argues the agreement requires the FDLR to be neutralized rather than negotiated with. Rwanda also accuses the DRC of supporting the group, and Congo denies allegations that it works with the M23 armed movement.

The talks are taking place against a backdrop of ongoing clashes in North and South Kivu and broader concern that the peace process has not yet reduced violence in eastern Congo. The Geneva meeting follows earlier JSCM sessions and comes alongside a separate Qatar-led dialogue involving Kinshasa and M23. More broadly, the process is part of an international effort to stabilize a region long affected by armed groups, cross-border tensions and competing security claims.