The governments of Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda have renewed their commitment to a fragile peace process aimed at ending years of conflict in eastern Congo, following high-level talks held in London under the facilitation of the United States and regional partners.
The meeting brought together the two countries alongside Qatar, Togo and the African Union Commission under the Joint Oversight Committee reviewing implementation of the 2025 peace agreement.
In a joint statement issued on June 24, 2026, the parties expressed growing concern over continued violence in eastern DRC, warning that the situation on the ground was deteriorating.
They said they “expressed serious concern over the escalating fighting, the impact of drone strikes on civilians and the peace process, and the deepening humanitarian situation in eastern DRC, including the ongoing Ebola outbreak.”
The statement added that there was an “urgent need for actions that make the ceasefire effective.”
At the centre of the London discussions was a renewed pledge by Kinshasa and Kigali to fully implement the June 2025 peace deal and reduce tensions in conflict-affected areas.
Both sides committed to avoid actions that could further undermine trust and agreed to de-escalate violence, particularly around sensitive zones such as Minembwe.
They agreed to “de-escalate tensions immediately, especially around Minembwe, and to use their respective influence with all parties on the ground to achieve this aim.”
The talks also focused on strengthening mechanisms for monitoring and enforcing the ceasefire through improved security coordination.
The parties agreed to reinforce the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism (JSCM), including intelligence sharing and closer cooperation on implementation of the Washington Accords.
They said they would “work through the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism (JSCM) to exchange intelligence and reach a shared understanding of next steps on operations to implement the Washington Accords.”
They also backed the faster deployment of verification teams tasked with monitoring compliance on the ground.
Both countries reaffirmed support for ongoing negotiations between the DRC government and the AFC/M23 under the Doha peace process, aimed at reducing armed confrontation in eastern Congo.
The renewed commitments come amid continued instability in eastern DRC, where fighting involving government forces and armed groups has persisted for years, often accompanied by mutual accusations between Kinshasa and Kigali over alleged cross-border support to militias operating in the region.
M23 offensives in recent years have contributed to large-scale displacement and repeated breakdowns of ceasefire arrangements, further straining humanitarian response systems already affected by outbreaks of disease and limited access to basic services.
The current peace framework, supported by the United States and regional actors, seeks to halt hostilities through military disengagement, verification of commitments, and gradual restoration of state authority in affected territories.
The Joint Security Coordination Mechanism is expected to meet again within 15 days to assess progress and review implementation of agreed security measures.
