Joint Statement on the Second Meeting of the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism for the Peace Agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Rwanda

The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Rwanda, the State of Qatar, the Republic of Togo (as the African Union facilitator), and the African Union Commission on the occasion of the second Joint Security Coordination Mechanism meeting held last week in Washington, D.C.

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On September 17-18, 2025, representatives from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Republic of Rwanda, along with the United States, the State of Qatar, the Republic of Togo (as the African Union facilitator), and the African Union Commission convened the second meeting of the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism (JSCM) in Washington, D.C. to advance the implementation of the Peace Agreement signed on June 27, 2025.

JSCM members reviewed the current security posture in eastern DRC and exchanged intelligence and information to establish a shared understanding of the situation on the ground. This shared intelligence picture was used to develop a phased approach to implement the Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for the neutralization of the FDLR and its associated groups, and disengagement of forces/lifting of defensive measures by Rwanda.

The Governments of the DRC and Rwanda reaffirmed their commitments to the desired end state outlined in the CONOPS, which includes that the threat of FDLR in the DRC is eradicated, Rwanda’s defensive measures are lifted, the DRC’s authority is restored, and trust between the DRC and Rwanda is reestablished.

During the two-day meeting, the parties negotiated an Operational Order (OPORD) to advance the CONOPS. The parties agreed to begin implementation of the OPORD on October 1, 2025.

The Governments of the DRC and Rwanda expressed their gratitude to the United States, Qatar, the African Union, and Togo for their continued support and facilitation of the peace process.

All parties reaffirmed their commitment to advancing durable peace and stability in eastern DRC and the Great Lakes region.

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