United States urges DRC and Rwanda to uphold peace agreements

The United States has called on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda to immediately honor their commitments under the Washington Accords for peace and prosperity. Speaking at a UN Security Council session, U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Bartos emphasized the need to respect the ceasefire, end harmful drone strikes, and avoid inflammatory rhetoric that could escalate tensions in the eastern DRC and the Great Lakes region.

In a related development, the DRC and Rwanda are preparing a planning conference to establish modalities for security engagements and disarmament. This follows Kinshasa’s demands for the withdrawal of Rwandan forces and the imposition of sanctions. These efforts are being coordinated ahead of the expiration of the MONUSCO mandate in December.

Additionally, security risks in eastern DRC have led Kenyan road transporters to temporarily suspend freight movements to the country. The U.S. also expressed concern regarding the ongoing Ebola epidemic in the region.