Joint Statement on the Sixth 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 mediator), and the African Union Commission on the occasion of the sixth Joint Security Coordination Mechanism meeting held this week in Geneva, Switzerland.

On August 12-13, 2026, representatives from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda (the Parties), along with the United States, Qatar, Togo (as the African Union mediator) and the African Union Commission convened the sixth meeting of the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism (JSCM) at the U.S. Mission in Geneva, Switzerland.

The DRC and Rwanda agreed to advance two initiatives to strengthen monitoring and verification of Washington Accords implementation on the ground. The parties requested that the United States consider these two initiatives and provide feedback at the next JSCM. The parties agreed to a trilateral planning conference in October 2026 that will culminate in a revised Operations Order guiding their coordinated efforts.

The African Union Commission presented on the outcomes of the African Union High-Level Meeting in Gaborone, Botswana, held July 24-25, 2026.

The DRC presented its Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) Plan for the Forces Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda (FDLR) and responded to questions from JSCM members. Following the DRC’s presentation, the JSCM held a virtual session with the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) to draw on its operational experience conducting DDR in the region.

The Governments of the DRC and Rwanda expressed their appreciation to the United States, Qatar, Togo, and the African Union Commission for their support throughout the peace process and agreed to reconvene for the next JSCM on September 16 –17 in Geneva.