Democratic Republic of Congo President Félix Tshisekedi has declared that a new peace agreement, set to be signed in Washington, will only move forward if Rwanda withdraws all its troops from Congolese soil. He made the strong declaration on Wednesday, just a day before the deal is expected to be formalised.
Tshisekedi, speaking through a statement released by his office, said the agreement cannot take effect until Rwanda fully pulls out its forces from eastern Congo. He emphasised that this condition is final and cannot be changed.
His remarks reveal the deep mistrust that still exists between Kinshasa and Kigali, even as the United States and Qatar push both sides to end fighting and restart political talks. Tensions in the eastern part of Congo have risen sharply in recent weeks.
Clashes between the Congolese army, supported by local volunteer fighters known as Wazalendo, and the M23 rebel group have intensified across several areas of South Kivu. Fighting has been reported around Kaziba, Katogota, Luvungi, Lubarika and Kamanyola.
Local officials said M23 fighters tried to advance southwards towards Uvira, a major lakeside town whose fall would shift the conflict significantly. By Tuesday evening, Congolese forces and Wazalendo fighters had managed to stop the push and force the rebels back toward Katogota.
The M23 group, which Congo and United Nations experts say receives support from Rwanda — an accusation Rwanda denies — has widened its operations in North and South Kivu over the past two years. Their actions have forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes.
As confrontations continue, diplomats in Washington are pushing for commitments to stop the fighting and reopen humanitarian pathways around Goma and Uvira. Aid agencies have warned that conditions for displaced families are getting worse by the day.
Tshisekedi’s tough message shows how fragile the newfound peace efforts are and highlights the difficult work regional mediators face in trying to calm one of Africa’s most unstable regions.
Rwanda and the M23 had not responded to Tshisekedi’s latest remarks at the time of the announcement.