WASHINGTON – The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda have initialed a peace agreement aimed at ending the conflict in eastern DRC, with the official signing scheduled for June 27, according to a joint communiqué released under the auspices of the United States.
The provisional agreement, based on a Declaration of Principles adopted in April, includes provisions on “respect for territorial integrity and the cessation of hostilities” in eastern Congo, according to the statement issued by the U.S. State Department on behalf of the two countries and Qatar, which also acted as a mediator.
The peace accord will be formally signed during a ministerial meeting on June 27 in Washington, attended by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The agreement was developed over three days of “constructive dialogue focused on political, security, and economic interests” between representatives of the DRC and Rwanda in Washington. It also includes provisions for the “disengagement, disarmament, and conditional integration of non-state armed groups.”
