Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have committed to implementing the Washington peace agreements, but the status of the armed group Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) remains a major point of disagreement between the two countries.
As fighting continues in eastern DRC, Kinshasa is calling for agreements and diplomatic commitments to be translated into concrete action on the ground.
DRC Ambassador to the United Nations Zénon Mukongo Ngay raised the issue while addressing the UN Security Council on the implementation of commitments made by Kinshasa and Kigali.
The DRC insists that both sides must fulfil their obligations simultaneously, fairly and in a manner that can be independently verified.
Kinshasa says the credibility of the Washington agreements depends on respect for the ceasefire and the continued use of monitoring mechanisms to establish whether both parties are meeting their commitments.
On the FDLR issue, the Congolese government says it is continuing with measures it previously announced, including disarming the group’s fighters, assembling them at designated locations and repatriating them to Rwanda under agreed procedures.
Ambassador Mukongo Ngay said the DRC wanted to address the matter professionally and transparently, under the supervision of the relevant authorities.
Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Olivier Nduhungirehe, rejected claims made by the DRC in September 2026 that the FDLR had agreed to disarm under an arrangement with Kinshasa.
Rwanda maintains that the Washington agreements required the dismantling of the FDLR within 90 days, but accuses the DRC of failing to fulfil that obligation as expected.
Kigali has also accused Kinshasa of maintaining or deepening military and political cooperation with the armed group after signing the agreements.
The competing claims highlight persistent differences between the two countries over the extent to which the DRC has fulfilled its obligations concerning the FDLR, despite their commitment to easing tensions and restoring regional security.
The disagreement over the FDLR remains one of the key challenges that could undermine implementation of the Washington peace agreements.
