Inter-Congolese dialogue key to lasting peace in DRC

BEFORE the ink could dry on the peace accord brokered by US President Donald Trump - now being referred to as the Washington Peace Accord - violence had once again erupted in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

- DR CLAUDE KABEMBA

The March 23 Movement (M23), backed by Rwanda, has launched a new offensive around the strategic town of Uvira in South Kivu. This renewed violence reminds us that: "Peace agreements are not peace - they are promises. And promises only matter when leaders fear disappointing their citizens more than they fear each other."

At the signing ceremony on Thursday, November 27 in Washington, Presidents Paul Kagame and Félix Tshisekedi could barely look each other in the eye, nor could they exchange a comfortable handshake. Their strained body language alone signalled that genuine peace remains a distant prospect.

A necessary step, but not yet a guarantee: The peace accord signed in Washington is undeniably a welcome development. Any step toward ending this decades-long conflict is worth embracing. Too many lives have been lost - even as leaders exchanged formalities abroad, people continue to die at home.

Millions remain displaced, living in precarious conditions within and beyond the DRC's borders. Families have been destroyed, communities uprooted and the number of orphans is rising. Any initiative that offers even a faint glimmer of hope deserves recognition. Yet the critical question remains: Will this peace hold?

Unresolved security questions: The agreement leaves several fundamental issues unresolved:

The FDLR question: Rwanda has consistently justified its presence in eastern DRC by pointing to the threat posed by the FDLR. Yet the accord provides no clear timeline or mechanism for disarming or neutralising the group. Without clarity here, mistrust will persist.

The withdrawal of Rwandan troops: Kigali's commitment to withdraw its forces is tied directly to the fate of the FDLR. As long as that uncertainty remains, full withdrawal is unlikely to materialise.