Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner and Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe sign peace accord in the Oval Office. Image Credit: The Independent
(The Post News) – The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda have agreed to start implementing security measures under the United States-brokered peace accord from October onwards. The peace deal will mark a new chapter between the neighbours who have been in conflict since the 1994 genocide of 6 million Rwandans.
The peace deal signed in Washington at the end of June was meant to stop the fighting between DRC military groups and the Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), which has gotten worse in recent years. After fights between Congo and FDLR, earlier this year, the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels invaded the DRC – displacing 350,000 people and killing thousands of civilians.
With mineral-rich Eastern Congo receiving the brunt of the attacks, US President Donald Trump offered a treaty that would protect the colbalt, tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper, and lithium supplied by the region. These billion-dollar-generating minerals were under threat as the M23 would seize mineral-rich areas and reportedly send them to Rwanda.
The first month of the peace agreement will see the removal of Rwandan defensive measures, including their troops in the DRC, while both countries will implement border monitoring systems in an attempt to ease tensions.
DRC Draws An Ultimatum Against Rwanda-Backed M23 Rebels
The peace agreement will also be closely monitored as the M23 rebels have not signed their separate agreement. Even though Rwanda had distanced itself from the Tutsi community-led rebel group, the Congolese officials do not believe the ties have been cut.
One of the ultimatums given by DRC President Felix Tshisekedi as a “non-negotiable” was for Rwanda to sever links with the group, as they are negotiating separately with them. The Qatar-hosted talks between the M23 and the DRC are stagnant after the pair missed the August deadline for a peace agreement.
Meanwhile, Rwanda has reassured its commitment to the peace accord ahead of next week’s final negotiation session.
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