Washington, D.C., July 31, 2025 – In a significant step toward peace and regional stability, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Republic of Rwanda convened the inaugural meeting of the Joint Oversight Committee to implement the Peace Agreement signed between the two nations on June 27, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
The meeting, held on July 31 in Washington, brought together representatives from both countries and was attended by observers from the United States, the State of Qatar, the Republic of Togo (in its capacity as African Union facilitator), and the African Union Commission.
According to a joint statement released by the participating governments and institutions, the Joint Oversight Committee is mandated to serve as a forum for overseeing the implementation of the peace deal and resolving any disputes that may arise. Its responsibilities include receiving and addressing complaints about violations of the agreement, adopting corrective measures, and facilitating the peaceful settlement of disputes.
During this first meeting, the Committee selected its Chairpersons, established terms of reference to guide its future activities, reviewed progress on agreement implementation, and made preparations for the first meeting of the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism.
Officials from the United States, Qatar, and the African Union emphasized the importance of complementarity and coordination between ongoing initiatives aimed at fostering dialogue and long-lasting peace in the region. The DRC and Rwanda expressed gratitude to their international partners for their critical support and reaffirmed their commitment to advancing a peaceful resolution through collaborative mechanisms.
This milestone event underscores renewed diplomatic efforts to rebuild trust and promote stability between the DRC and Rwanda, whose historically strained relations have impacted regional security in the Great Lakes region of Africa.
