The Rwandan government has reaffirmed its readiness to implement the Washington Accords aimed at restoring peace between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), while insisting that both parties must fulfil their respective obligations, particularly the commitment to eliminate the FDLR.
Rwanda Government Spokesperson Yolande Makolo said the DRC had yet to fulfil its obligation to neutralise the FDLR, a group Rwanda accuses the Congolese government of supporting and which includes individuals who participated in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
“Rwanda stands ready to implement the Washington Accords, provided the Congolese government demonstrates its willingness to fulfil its obligations and the mediator ensures that all parties are held accountable for their commitments,” Makolo said.
She also criticised DRC Foreign Affairs Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner for downplaying the atrocities committed by the FDLR, which Rwanda considers a terrorist organisation, as well as the threat it poses to regional security.
Makolo said comparing Rwanda’s security concerns to the fear of being attacked while walking along a dark road misrepresented the seriousness of the FDLR threat, which continues to endanger the lives of people in both countries.
The Washington Accords were signed on December 4, 2025, by Rwandan President Paul Kagame and his Congolese counterpart, Félix Tshisekedi, in the presence of US President Donald Trump.
Key provisions of the agreement include eliminating the FDLR and affiliated armed groups, as well as lifting Rwanda’s defensive measures. These commitments are expected to be implemented in a coordinated and verifiable manner.
On June 5, 2026, the Rwandan government reiterated that the agreement could not be implemented by one party alone, calling for both countries to be held accountable for the commitments they had made.
Rwanda Government Spokesperson Yolande Makolo says the DRC has yet to fulfil its commitments under the Washington Accords.
