Congo and Rwanda sign preliminary peace agreement in Washington
DAKAR, Senegal: Representatives from Congo and Rwanda have signed the text of a peace agreement between the two countries in Washington, according to a joint press release from the nations and the US State Department on Wednesday.
Congo has accused Rwanda of backing M23 rebels in the east of the country. UN experts says the rebels are supported by about 4,000 troops from the neighboring nation.
The decades-long conflict escalated in January, when the M23 rebels advanced and seized the strategic Congolese city of Goma, followed by the town of Bukavu in February.
'The Agreement includes provisions on respect for territorial integrity and a prohibition of hostilities; disengagement, disarmament, and conditional integration of non-state armed groups,' said the statement posted to the State Department's website.
The agreement signed included a commitment to respecting territorial integrity and the conditional integration of non-state armed groups. Both sides also committed to a ministerial-level meeting next week and invited the leaders of both countries to attend.
This is not the first time peace talks have been held. Talks hosted by Qatar in April fell apart.
Corneille Nangaa, leader of the Congo River Alliance, a coalition of rebel groups, told The Associated Press in April that international sanctions and Congo's proposed minerals deal with the United States in search of peace would not stop the fighting.
M23 is one of about 100 armed groups that have been vying for a foothold in mineral-rich eastern Congo near the border with Rwanda. The conflict has created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises and has displaced more than 7 million people.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Arabiya
4 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Putin claims Israeli strikes have unified Iranian society around its leadership
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that a deal to end the fighting between Israel and Iran was possible, and that Israel's strikes on Iran had led to a 'consolidation' of Iranian society around its leadership. 'We see that today in Iran there is a consolidation of society around the country's political leadership,' Putin told foreign journalists at a televised event. 'This is a delicate issue, and of course we need to be very careful here, but in my opinion, a solution can be found,' he added. Putin said such an agreement could guarantee both Israel's security and Iran's desire for a civilian nuclear program. Israel said its surprise air campaign was aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons – an ambition Tehran denies. 'I believe it would be good for all of us together to look for ways to stop the fighting and seek ways for the participants in the conflict to find an agreement,' he said. Putin said there were more than 200 Russian employees at the Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran which was built by Russia's Rosatom. 'We agreed with the leadership of Israel that their security would be ensured,' he said. He said Russia could 'continue' to work with Iran on its civilian nuclear program and 'ensure their interests in this sphere.' US President Donald Trump on Wednesday appeared to rebuff Putin's earlier offer to mediate in the conflict, saying the Russian president should end his own conflict in Ukraine first. 'I spoke to him yesterday and ... he actually offered to help mediate, I said 'do me a favor, mediate your own,'' Trump told reporters as he unveiled a giant new flag pole at the White House. Russia has deepened military ties with Iran since Moscow launched its campaign in Ukraine in 2022. Moscow and Tehran in January inked a far-ranging strategic partnership agreement, and Kyiv and its allies have long accused Iran of supplying Russia with drones and short-range missiles. The assault on Ukraine and the war in Gaza have strained Moscow's traditionally good relations with Israel, home to a large Russian-born community.
Al Arabiya
8 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Kenyan police officers arraigned over shooting a civilian during protests
A court in Kenya on Thursday gave detectives 15 days to complete investigations of two police officers suspected of shooting and wounding a street vendor during the latest street protests over the death of a blogger in custody. The officers were arraigned in court two days after the Tuesday shooting on a busy street and under the full glare of cameras. It triggered anger and fury over persistent complaints against police brutality. Tuesday's protests in the capital followed tensions over the death of the blogger Albert Ojwang, who was found dead while in custody at the Central Police Station. Ojwang was arrested on June 6 in western Kenya for what police called publishing false information about a top police official on social media. Police attributed his death to him hitting his head against the cell wall, but activists have questioned the cause of death. Protesters on Tuesday demanded the arrest of the police deputy inspector general, Eliud Langat, who had filed a defamation complaint against Ojwang. Langat said Monday he had stepped aside and would cooperate with investigators. The two officers at the Central Police Station were arrested last week. The officers will remain in custody until July 3. During their court appearance, they concealed their faces with masks, sparking complaints from activists. Kenya has a history of police brutality, and President William Ruto previously vowed to end it along with extrajudicial killings. Last year, several activists and protesters were abducted and killed by Kenyan police during protests against tax hikes. The demonstrations led to calls for Ruto's removal.
Arab News
19 hours ago
- Arab News
Congo and Rwanda sign preliminary peace agreement in Washington
DAKAR, Senegal: Representatives from Congo and Rwanda have signed the text of a peace agreement between the two countries in Washington, according to a joint press release from the nations and the US State Department on Wednesday. Congo has accused Rwanda of backing M23 rebels in the east of the country. UN experts says the rebels are supported by about 4,000 troops from the neighboring nation. The decades-long conflict escalated in January, when the M23 rebels advanced and seized the strategic Congolese city of Goma, followed by the town of Bukavu in February. 'The Agreement includes provisions on respect for territorial integrity and a prohibition of hostilities; disengagement, disarmament, and conditional integration of non-state armed groups,' said the statement posted to the State Department's website. The agreement signed included a commitment to respecting territorial integrity and the conditional integration of non-state armed groups. Both sides also committed to a ministerial-level meeting next week and invited the leaders of both countries to attend. This is not the first time peace talks have been held. Talks hosted by Qatar in April fell apart. Corneille Nangaa, leader of the Congo River Alliance, a coalition of rebel groups, told The Associated Press in April that international sanctions and Congo's proposed minerals deal with the United States in search of peace would not stop the fighting. M23 is one of about 100 armed groups that have been vying for a foothold in mineral-rich eastern Congo near the border with Rwanda. The conflict has created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises and has displaced more than 7 million people.
