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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, DRC Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner and Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe at the signing a peace agreement on June 27 [File Mandel Ngan AFP]
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Washington, D.C. – July 30, 2025 — The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda have held the first meeting of a joint oversight committee, marking an initial step toward implementing a landmark peace agreement signed in June, despite slow progress on key provisions.
The meeting, hosted in Washington on Thursday, brought together representatives from the African Union, Qatar, and the United States, who joined as observers in support of the peace initiative. According to a joint statement released by the DRC and Rwanda via social media on Friday, the committee “discussed progress on implementing the agreement,” among other issues.
The deal, brokered under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, aims to end years of conflict in eastern DRC—a region rich in tantalum, cobalt, copper, gold, lithium, and other critical minerals that has witnessed thousands of deaths and persistent instability.
Key Provisions and missed deadlines
The June peace agreement calls for mutual respect of territorial integrity and an end to hostilities in eastern DRC. However, these commitments remain unfulfilled. Under the terms of the deal, Rwanda agreed to withdraw its troops from eastern Congo within 90 days, and both countries were to establish a joint security coordination mechanism within 30 days. A monitoring plan for the troop withdrawal was also agreed upon.
Additionally, DRC committed to concluding military operations against the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR)—a rebel group comprised of remnants of the militia responsible for the 1994 Rwandan genocide—within the same timeframe.
Yet, more than 30 days after the signing, no formal meeting of the security coordination mechanism has taken place, and there is no evidence that operations targeting the FDLR or the withdrawal of Rwandan forces have begun.
Officials say progress still on track
Despite the delays, officials from the U.S. and the parties involved have insisted the peace process remains on course. Massad Boulos, Senior Africa Adviser to President Trump, told reporters on Wednesday that the joint oversight committee had convened within the agreed 45-day window, and that the meeting of the security coordination mechanism would be announced soon.
“There was no timeline for [the military operations or withdrawal],” Boulos stated. “If you look at the chronology of what we’ve been able to do since April, it’s been extensive and very much aligned with our aspirations. So it’s not off track in any way.”
Sources familiar with the negotiations acknowledged some delays but emphasized they were not yet serious enough to threaten the broader peace process.
Tensions remain on the ground
Despite diplomatic efforts, military tensions appear to be escalating. Military and diplomatic sources told Reuters that both Rwandan-backed M23 rebels and DRC-aligned militia groups known as the Wazalendo have reinforced their positions along the front lines in eastern DRC.
This escalation underscores the fragile nature of the peace deal and highlights the urgency of fully implementing the agreement’s security provisions.
Source: News Agencies
