DR Congo, Rwanda hold first talks after peace deal
The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda have held their first talks after signing a peace deal to end decades of deadly conflict in mineral-rich eastern Congo, the two countries said on Aug. 1.
The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda have held their first talks after signing a peace deal to end decades of deadly conflict in mineral-rich eastern Congo, the two countries said on Aug. 1.
Eastern DRC, a region bordering Rwanda with lucrative natural resources, has been plagued by violence for more than three decades and the unrest has claimed thousands of lives.
The crisis intensified early this year when the M23 armed group and Rwandan troops captured the major city of Goma in January, followed by Bukavu in February, setting up parallel administrations in each.
Kinshasa had previously opposed direct dialogue with the M23 and diplomatic attempts, including mediation by Angola, failed.
But the surprise intervention of Qatar succeeded in bringing together Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Paul Kagame of Rwanda in Doha in mid-March.
A peace agreement followed, inked by their foreign ministers in Washington at the end of June.
On July 31, representatives from both countries as well as observers from the United States, Qatar and the African Union held their first meeting in Washington since signing the peace deal, according to a joint statement released by both nations on social media.
They "discussed progress on implementing the agreement" among other things, it said.
The agreement was hailed as a significant milestone by the African Union and the United Nations and follows a long series of truces and ceasefires that have been systematically broken.
