The leaders of the DRC and Rwanda signed a peace deal in Washington, a symbolic cap to the agreement that Trump helped broker in June (State)
The deal calls for a permanent ceasefire, the disarmament of non-state forces, provisions for refugees to return to their homes, justice and accountability for those who have committed “illegal atrocities,” and a new framework for economic prosperity (BBC)
However, questions remain about its implementation, and violence continues in the eastern Congo between the Congolese army and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels (Amnesty)
While a Rwandan government spokesperson told NPR the agreement was not a “magic wand,” she said “there have been important steps” since the deal was reached in June (NPR)
Trump also announced that the United States would sign bilateral agreements with the two countries to purchase natural resources (Al Jazeera)
Congo and M23 Rebels Trade Accusations Ahead of Peace Deal Signing
Both sides accused each other of launching new attacks in South Kivu, alleging attempts to undermine upcoming U.S.- and Qatar-mediated peace agreements; the exchange unfolded as Washington prepared to host Congolese and Rwandan leaders for a formal accord to end fighting in the east (Reuters)
Burundi, Kenya Invited to Washington as Guarantors of Peace Deal
As the Trump administration prepares to host the signing of a peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda later this week, invitations have been extended to other regional countries to serve as witnesses; Burundi and Kenya have confirmed their attendance, and African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmouud Youssouf is also expected to participate (EastAfrican)
End To Ebola Outbreak in Congo
The outbreak in Kasai province formally ended after forty-five days without new cases; the virus killed forty-three individuals since the outbreak was announced in September (AP)
Boat Capsizing Kills Nineteen
Provincial officials said strong winds caused a passenger vessel bound for Kinshasa from the town of Kiri to overturn on Lake Mai-Ndombe; dozens were rescued, as authorities caution against overcrowding and poor boat conditions (Reuters)
Congo-Rwanda Peace Deals
Sources suggested that Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame will visit Washington on December 4 to formally ratify two recent U.S.-mediated agreements aimed at ending fighting in eastern Congo, even as Rwanda-backed M23 rebels continue territorial gains; the agreements have thus far had limited impact on the ground (Reuters)
Deadly Militia Attack Near Kinshasa
Armed assailants linked to the local Mobondo militia, which claims to defend the Yaka ethnic group, raided the village of Nkana northeast of Kinshasa, killing fourteen people and torching homes, as land disputes between Teke and Yaka communities continue to drive deadly violence across the capital’s outskirts (AP)
ADF Rebels Kill Dozens of Civilians in Eastern Congo
The UN mission said fighters from the Allied Democratic Forces, which is linked to the self-proclaimed Islamic State, carried out coordinated attacks across North Kivu between November 13 and 19, killing eighty-nine civilians, including women and children, while also abducting residents and looting medical supplies (Reuters)
Congo Extends Limits on Mineral Trade
The mines ministry extended restrictions on sourcing tin, tantalum, and tungsten from thirty-eight sites in the eastern provinces of North and South Kivu, citing evidence that illegal mineral flows are financing armed groups, including Rwanda-backed M23 fighters and other rebel groups, tightening control over resource-rich areas (Reuters)
DRC-M23 Deal
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the M23 rebels signed a framework peace deal in Qatar following U.S. and African Union-mediated talks (Al Jazeera)
The framework contains eight protocols, with more talks needed on how to implement six of them, U.S. envoy Massad Boulos told Reuters; the first two protocols cover prisoner exchanges and truce monitoring (Reuters)
The deal offers a glimmer of hope for ending the conflict, which has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands more this year alone (BBC)
Separately, in the North Kivu province, fighters from the Allied Democratic Forces, a group linked to the self-proclaimed Islamic State, killed at least seventeen civilians, including six women, after attacking a local hospital (AP)
Trial for Former Congolese Rebel Leader
In Paris, French judges initiated proceedings against Roger Lumbala, ex-chief of the National Democracy rebel group, for alleged involvement in crimes against civilians during the Second Congo War, with prosecutors seeking to hold him liable under France’s universal-jurisdiction law for acts including torture, killings, and sexual violence (AP)
DRC, Rwanda Sign Economic Deal in Washington
Delegates from the DRC and Rwanda signed an economic pact in Washington, marking progress in U.S.-led mediation efforts after the two sides failed to reach an agreement last month (Reuters)
Implementation of the Regional Economic Integration Framework depends on a prior peace deal requiring Rwanda to withdraw from eastern DRC (U.S. State Department)
Doha-Mediated Peace Talks at Standstill
Peace talks between the DRC and M23 resumed in Qatar, but the parties remain deadlocked; delegates report disagreement over restoring state authority, a dispute likely deepened after M23 announced plans to appoint officials to a parallel government in territory under its control (RFI)
DRC President Says Rwanda Seeks to Annex Eastern Part of Country
DRC President Felix Tshisekedi accused Rwanda of seeking to annex the resource-rich, eastern part of his country while speaking to the Congolese diaspora in Egypt (AFP)
Goma Airport to Partially Reopen
Following an international conference in Paris on October 30, the DRC has committed to reopening Goma Airport for humanitarian operations; French President Emmanuel Macron announced that attending nations and NGOs pledged over $1.7 billion in aid for the Great Lakes region (RFI)
France to Host Conference on Humanitarian Action in DRC
France and Togo co-hosted a high-level conference in Paris aimed at mobilizing support for peace and humanitarian relief in the DRC; representatives from over fifty countries and international organizations participated, emphasizing the urgency of increased financial assistance (RFI)
DRC Battles Worst Cholera Outbreak in Twenty Years
The DRC is facing a cholera epidemic that has spread in part due to the conflict in the country’s east; nearly 60,000 people have been infected and over 1,500 have died, with numbers likely to increase as many health workers are unable to reach affected regions due to the war (The Telegraph)
M23 Rejects Claims It Diverted Gold From Mine
Rebel leaders dismissed accusations from a mining company that fighters removed large quantities of bullion from the Twangiza site in South Kivu, suggesting that the facility is inactive and alleging that the government has struck the area with airstrikes; UN experts and Western governments continue to link M23’s territorial gains to illicit mineral revenues (Reuters)
DRC, Rwanda Meet in Washington to Discuss Ceasefire
Representatives from the DRC and Rwanda met in Washington from October 21 to 22 for the third session of the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism; the meeting, part of a June agreement between the two nations, aims to reinforce commitments to ending the conflict in eastern DRC (Kivu Morning Post)
Former Congolese President Joseph Kabila Appears in Kenya Following Conviction
Two weeks after being convicted of crimes against humanity and treason by a military court in the DRC, former President Joseph Kabila appeared publicly in Kenya; his presence may spark diplomatic tensions, as the DRC has previously accused Kenya of supporting the M23 rebel group (AP)
Congolese and Ugandan Militaries Hold Bilateral Meeting
The Armed Forces of the DRC and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces held a bilateral meeting to strengthen coordination and security operations on Lake Edward, which lies on the border between North Kivu and Uganda (UPDF)
DRC, M23 Sign Ceasefire Monitoring Mechanism
Representatives from the DRC and M23 signed an agreement in Doha to establish a ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism; the deal builds on a previous agreement signed in July and will include the African Union, the United States, and Qatar as observers. (Qatar MoFA)
Congo Court Sentences Former President Kabila to Death in Absentia
A military high court in Kinshasa convicted Kabila of crimes against humanity and treason for supporting the M23 rebel group, sentencing him to death and ordering him to pay $33 billion in reparations; Kabila, who is now in exile, denounced the trial as illegal through his party (NYT)
Congo, Rwanda Set October Start for Trump-Mediated Peace Deal
The DRC and Rwanda will begin implementing key security measures under their U.S.-mediated peace deal on October 1, sources told Reuters; the plan includes operations to neutralize the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda militia and a phased withdrawal of Rwandan troops, with full implementation due by the end of the year (Reuters)
The Trump-backed peace deal was signed in Washington in June but has faced delays due to disputes over Rwanda’s ties to the M23 rebels; both sides met in Washington this month to resolve these disputes, while Congo continues parallel talks with M23 in Qatar (CNN)
Meanwhile, health officials continue to warn of the new Ebola outbreak in Congo’s Kasai province, which has killed thirty-five and led to fifty-seven reported infections since September 4 (AP)
Red Cross Appeals for Urgent Aid to Contain Congo Ebola Outbreak
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) warned that health facilities in Bulape, the epicenter of Congo’s first Ebola outbreak in three years, are overwhelmed; the IFRC is seeking $25 million to bolster clean water, protective equipment, and treatment capacity, as the WHO reported forty-eight cases and thirty-one deaths so far (Reuters)