Washington on Friday accused Rwanda of breaching its peace agreement with the Democratic Republic of Congo, warning that Kigali’s actions are pushing the Great Lakes region closer to renewed war.
The deal, signed just over a week ago, was praised by U.S. President Donald Trump as a “historic” breakthrough and raised hopes of ending a conflict that has dragged on for decades. Those hopes quickly faded on Wednesday night when M23 fighters announced they had taken control of the strategic eastern city of Uvira, one of the Congolese army’s last remaining strongholds in the region.
United Nations experts have previously said Rwanda exercises “de facto control” over the rebel group’s operations. U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz said Washington was “deeply disappointed” by the renewed violence and warned that those undermining peace efforts would be held accountable.
The M23 rebels are not signatories to the Trump-backed agreement and are instead involved in separate talks facilitated by Qatar, a close U.S ally.
Speaking on Friday, Bertrand Bisimwa, deputy coordinator of the AFC-M23 alliance, said the Washington Accord only addressed relations between Congo and Rwanda. According to him, it has little effect on the internal conflict, which is being discussed in negotiations held in Doha.
“The reality on the ground has never changed,” Bisimwa said. “The war with Kinshasa has continued from the start, regardless of ceasefire agreements.”
He added that the group is pushing for a federal system in the DRC, arguing it would rebalance power between the central government and the provinces without breaking the country apart.
Both Kinshasa and Kigali have accused each other of violating the Washington Accord.
More than 100 armed groups are competing for influence in mineral-rich eastern Congo, with M23 at the forefront. The fighting has triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, displacing over seven million people, according to the UN refugee agency.
