The Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, July 16, chaired by President Paul Kagame, approved the draft law ratifying the peace agreement recently signed between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
On June 27, Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olivier Nduhungirehe, and his Congolese counterpart Thérèse Wagner Kayikwamba signed the agreement.
The deal was signed under the mediation of the United States of America.
The statement of resolutions from the Cabinet meeting, signed by Prime Minister Dr. Edouard Ngirente, describes the agreement as “a significant step toward resolving the security issues that Rwanda has consistently raised, restoring peace and security in the Great Lakes Region, and strengthening cooperation for regional development.”
Key provisions in the agreement include a mutual commitment from Rwanda and DRC to respect each other’s sovereignty and to refrain from collaborating with armed groups that seek to destabilize the other.
Specifically, the agreement obliges the DRC to dismantle the genocidal militia FDLR, after which Rwanda will lift certain defensive measures it had implemented.
The agreement also urges Kinshasa to hold talks in Doha, Qatar, with the AFC/M23 rebel group opposing its government, aiming to resolve the ongoing conflict.
The Cabinet reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to implement the agreement and awaits the outcome of the Doha negotiations between Kinshasa and the AFC/M23 group.
These negotiations are currently being mediated by Qatar in collaboration with the African Union (AU).
