DRC and Rwanda hold first joint oversight meeting to advance peace deal

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda held the inaugural meeting of the Joint Oversight Committee on July 31, 2025, marking a cautious but significant step in the Washington-brokered peace agreement signed in June.

The meeting, held in Washington, DC, included observers from the United States, Qatar, the Republic of Togo (which served as the African Union facilitator), and the African Union Commission.

According to a media note from the U.S. Department of State, the committee is tasked with monitoring the implementation of the peace agreement, receiving complaints over violations, taking remedial measures, and resolving disputes amicably.

"The Joint Oversight Committee is charged with serving as a forum for implementation and dispute resolution," the statement said.

This first meeting saw the parties select chairpersons, adopt terms of reference, and initiate preparations for the first session of the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism - a body expected to play a key role in restoring trust between the two neighbours.

The African Union, the State of Qatar, and the United States were all present in what appears to be a continued pivot toward externally facilitated African peace processes.

The U.S. State Department noted that these discussions aimed to "ensure complementarity and alignment between implementation efforts and ongoing initiatives aimed at dialogue and durable peace in the region."

Both Rwanda and the DRC expressed appreciation for the AU, US, and Qatar's "invaluable contributions and joint efforts" in advancing the agreement.

The meeting is the first tangible output of the June 27 deal signed under U.S. mediation—a deal that has been viewed in some African capitals as evidence of growing foreign dominance in continental conflict resolution traditionally led by regional blocs such as the AU and EAC.

With deep-rooted grievances still raw and the presence of armed groups in eastern Congo persisting, the success of the Oversight Committee will be closely watched, not least for what it reveals about the new dynamics of peacemaking in Africa.