Rwanda, DR Congo Set for Geneva Talks on Washington Peace Deal
Rwanda and DR Congo are set to meet in Geneva on September 16–17, 2026, to review implementation of the 2025 Washington peace agreement.
Representatives of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are expected to meet in Geneva on September 16–17, 2026, for talks focused on assessing progress in implementing the peace agreement signed in Washington in 2025.
The discussions will take place under the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism (JSCM), a framework established to coordinate and monitor the implementation of agreed security commitments between the two countries.
The meeting is also expected to bring together facilitators and representatives from the United States, Qatar, Togo and the African Union Commission, as the parties seek to address outstanding security issues and assess progress made under the Washington agreement.
The Geneva talks come as fighting continues in eastern DRC, with several key provisions of the peace agreement yet to be fully implemented. The situation in North and South Kivu remains a major concern, particularly amid continued tensions involving armed groups operating in the region.
The FDLR issue is expected to feature prominently in the discussions. On July 28, 2026, the DRC government announced that a faction of the FDLR had agreed to a process involving the laying down of weapons, demobilisation and relocation to designated sites under monitoring.
Rwanda has rejected this approach, arguing that the Washington agreement requires the dismantling of the FDLR's military capabilities, rather than negotiations with the group as a political or military entity.
Kigali has also repeatedly accused the DRC government of cooperating with and supporting the FDLR, an allegation Kinshasa has consistently denied.
The Washington peace agreement was signed on June 27, 2025, and its implementation has remained central to diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the conflict in eastern DRC. The Geneva meeting is therefore expected to provide an opportunity for the parties and their international partners to review commitments, address disagreements and determine the next steps toward implementation.
