The United States has welcomed progress made by Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in implementing the Washington Accords, which seek to promote peace and security in eastern DRC.
Rwandan and Congolese delegations met in Geneva, Switzerland, on August 12–13, 2026, for the sixth meeting of the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism (JSCM).
The meeting brought together representatives of Rwanda, the DRC, the United States, Qatar, Togo, which was appointed by the African Union (AU) as a facilitator, and the AU Commission.
The delegations reviewed progress in implementing the peace agreement signed by Rwanda and the DRC in Washington on June 27, 2025.
Following the meeting, Massad Boulos, the US Senior Adviser for Africa, welcomed the progress made in the peace process and reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to supporting efforts to achieve lasting security in the region.
“I am pleased with the new progress made in the peace process in eastern DRC as we continue to lead efforts aimed at achieving lasting security in the region,” Boulos said.
Rwanda and the DRC agreed to strengthen mechanisms for monitoring and overseeing implementation of the Washington Accords.
Boulos said the two sides would also hold a dedicated planning meeting in October 2026 to develop new guidelines for joint activities.
The FDLR issue was also discussed, with the DRC presenting its plan to disarm and dismantle the group and facilitate the reintegration of its members into civilian life through the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) programme.
Representatives of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the DRC, MONUSCO, shared their experience in implementing DDR programmes in the region.
The next JSCM meeting is scheduled for September 16–17, 2026, in Geneva, where Rwanda, the DRC and their partners will continue assessing progress in implementing the Washington Accords.
