Washington peace deal in eastern DRC shows limited progress after a year

The Barometer of Peace Agreements in Africa reports that the Washington‑brokered deal to end fighting between the Alliance du Fleuve Congo (AFC) and the M23 movement has achieved only a 35 % overall implementation rate one year after its signing. Of the 30 commitments, 22 have begun but progress is uneven: the Democratic Republic of Congo has fulfilled 18 of 26 tasks (31.7 %), while Rwanda has completed 15 of 22 (30.6 %). The report cites a focus on institutional and economic aspects at the expense of key security measures, such as dismantling the FDLR militia and lifting Rwandan defensive positions, which remain largely unaddressed. Persistent mistrust between Kigali and Kinshasa hampers further advances. In March 2026 the United States imposed indirect sanctions on Rwanda’s Gasabo Gold Refinery and related mining firms, freezing their US assets and banning transactions, adding pressure on Kigali amid accusations that it continues to support M23 rebels. The conflict continues to devastate eastern DRC, compounded by an Ebola outbreak, and the peace agreement remains far from fully realized.