Officials from Rwanda and DR Congo convened in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Thursday, August 6, for the first meeting of the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism, The New Times reports.
The platform was established as part of the US-brokered peace agreement signed in Washington D.C. in late June.
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The Washington agreement outlines commitments to neutralise the FDLR militia formed by perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, and to end Rwanda’s defensive measures, among other provisions.
The joint mechanism is designed to foster collaboration between the two nations, alongside regional and international partners, to enhance security, stability, and development in the region.
It aims to establish joint procedures and ensure transparency in operations targeting an irreversible end to any support—both local and foreign—for the FDLR and related armed groups.
It will also facilitate efforts to identify, assess, locate, and neutralise the militia in line with the Concept of Operations (CONOPS) adopted in Luanda, Angola, in 2024. The recent Washington agreement builds on this earlier Angola-led mediation process.
Meanwhile, the Joint Oversight Committee—tasked with monitoring the peace agreement’s implementation—also met for the first time last week. It includes representatives from Rwanda, DR Congo, the United States, Qatar, and the African Union, represented by Togo. Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbé serves as the AU-appointed mediator for the DR Congo peace process.
Prince Ruzigana / The Kaminuza Star