politics
March 21, 2026
Rwanda and DR Congo pledge to ease tensions amid US pressure
Rwanda and DR Congo have agreed to a series of steps to de-escalate tensions after talks in Washington, despite breakdowns of past peace agreements
TL;DR
- Rwanda and DR Congo agreed to measures aimed at ending conflict in eastern Congo after talks in Washington.
- The agreement includes disengaging forces and addressing cross-border security concerns.
- The mineral-rich east of DR Congo has been plagued by decades of violence involving dozens of armed groups, including the M23 rebel group.
- Kinshasa accuses Kigali of backing M23, an allegation Rwanda denies.
- The conflict has resulted in a large-scale humanitarian crisis, with millions internally displaced.
- The US imposed sanctions on the Rwanda Defense Force and four senior officials for allegedly backing M23.
- Kigali states its forces are deployed to defend against Congolese Army and Hutu militias linked to the 1994 genocide.
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