Online Reporter
WASHINGTON. – Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have agreed on measures aimed at ending decades of conflict in eastern Congo following talks in Washington, officials have said.
The two-day meeting, part of a renewed diplomatic push, comes as fighting intensifies in the mineral-rich eastern DR Congo, where government forces are battling the M23 rebel group, widely accused by Kinshasa of being backed by Rwanda — an allegation Kigali denies.
According to a joint statement released by the US State Department last week, the parties committed to respect each other’s sovereignty and take measures including disengaging forces and addressing cross-border security concerns.
“The DRC and Rwanda agreed to a series of coordinated steps to de-escalate tensions and advance progress on the ground… [and] reaffirmed their commitments under the Washington Accords to achieve lasting peace and prosperity in the region,” it said.
The conflict has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with 6,9 million people internally displaced — over 5 million of them in the eastern provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri, UN Refugee Agency estimates show.
Kinshasa pledged to intensify efforts to “neutralise” the FDLR following the latest negotiations. – rt.com
