The new agreement is not much different from several past ones that the DRC had previously refused to endorse during various negotiations. However, it introduces new elements such as economic cooperation on projects like the Ruzizi III hydropower plant, methane gas extraction in Lake Kivu, and others that had been agreed upon in previous years but faced delays.
When Massad Boulos, U.S. President Donald Trump's advisor on African affairs, read the clauses of the agreement, he emphasised the principles of the joint action plan to eliminate the FDLR militia and lift defence measures along the border.
Those principles were first agreed upon on October 31, 2024, by the intelligence agencies of both Rwanda and the DRC. An analysis shows that these principles form the core of the agreement signed in the United States.
At the time of the initial agreement, the DRC had refused to sign, but this time it did. The question now is whether it will be implemented.
At the heart of the agreement was the understanding that both Rwanda and the DRC had responsibilities to fulfil to achieve peace on both sides.
The DRC was tasked with dismantling the FDLR militia, which is linked to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, facilitating the repatriation of its members to Rwanda, and ensuring peace and stability in the Great Lakes region.
It was also asked to promote the voluntary and dignified return of refugees and internally displaced persons.
On its part, Rwanda was required to lift defensive measures along the border and reintegrate former FDLR combatants, a process the country has pursued for more than 25 years.
Foreign Affairs Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe, prior to signing, stressed the importance of implementing those principles first.
"The first order of business is to begin implementing the concept of operations for the neutralisation of the FDLR, to be accompanied by a lifting of Rwanda's defensive measures," Minister Nduhungirehe stated.
DRC signs what it doesn't like
Among the other provisions signed was a commitment by the DRC to support the ongoing negotiations between the DRC and the M23/AFC group, mediated by the State of Qatar. Both Rwanda and the DRC are expected to back these talks until they yield tangible outcomes.
For a long time, President Tshisekedi's administration maintained that it would never engage in talks with the M23. However, eventually, negotiations have gained momentum in Qatar.
The DRC was also asked to support the peaceful, voluntary, and dignified repatriation of refugees to their countries of origin. This clause has long been rejected by the DRC government, which has often claimed that those Congolese who fled to Rwanda are not genuine Congolese nationals.
Rwanda currently hosts over 80,000 Congolese refugees. Over the years, agreements for their repatriation have been signed between Rwanda, the DRC, and UNHCR, but the Kinshasa government has failed to uphold them.
The first such agreement was signed in 2010 in both Goma and Kigali. It stipulated that refugees were to be repatriated voluntarily, with both countries working to create conditions conducive to their return and reintegration.
The agreement also stated that no one shall be forcibly repatriated to a place where their safety and life may be at risk.
The fact that the DRC has now signed a clause it has long rejected is significant, especially because it also affects the M23 group, which has been fighting for years to defend the rights of Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese, many of whom have been displaced and accused of being Rwandans.
When Donald Trump received the foreign ministers of both countries, he urged that the Washington Accord be fully implemented. He warned that failure to do so could have serious consequences.
'In the months and years ahead, my administration will continue to work closely with all of the parties in this deal and ensure the agreements are fully carried out. And you're going to do what's in the agreement. We'll say, 'You better do what's in that agreement,' right? Because if somebody fails to do that, bad things happen,' he stated.
'But I have a feeling that after 30 years, you're all set. I think both of you have said, 'That's enough,' right? That's enough. You've seen it all. So, this is a wonderful day,' he added.
IGIHE
