DR Congo-Rwanda : Is Peace Possible?

On December 4, 2025 the agreement signed between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda in Washington, ignited hope of possible peace in the eastern part of the country. In the presence of United States President, Donald Trump, DRC President, Felix Tshisekedi and Paul Kagame of Rwanda, penned their signatures as a sign of their readiness to see the return of peace in the eastern part of the DRC. The endorsed agreement was a culmination of several months of talks between Foreign Affairs Ministers of both countries. According to the June 27, 2025 agreement in the presence of the African Union Commission Chairperson, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Togo’s Foreign Minister, Robert Dussey representing the AU, and Qatar’s Minister of State, Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, the two countries resolved to respect each other’s territorial integrity, restrict support for armed groups and protect humanitarian workers operating in conflict-affected areas. These commitments would be regulated by a DRC-Rwanda security coordination mechanism that would take effect within thirty days of the peace deal.
Despite the signing of the landmark agreement said by many officials to be a catalyst for substantive foundation for durable peace, the process seems to be on a balance. On the field, the over 100 armed groups remain active, especially in areas where State authority is weak. After a wave of diplomatic fanfare, the current agreement now faces a fundamental test; is it a roadmap for the systematic dismantling of militias, or merely a political truce that sets the stage for another round of conflict? While experts are searching for an answer to the above question, the US and other partners after condemning Rwanda for violating the Washington accord, are bent on seeing that both parties respect the agreement that begins with a cease-fire. 
Most past agreements have failed due to a lack of inclusiveness, deep-rooted mistrust, and tangled regional interventions. The exclusion of M23, a group that continues to cont...