DRC-Rwanda: Can Geneva talks break the cycle of war in eastern Congo?

According to Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera, representatives from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda have returned to negotiations in Geneva. Despite a peace agreement signed over a year ago, violent conflict persists in eastern Congo. The current diplomacy is split into two tracks: a Geneva-based dialogue between the two nations and separate, Qatar-led discussions between the Congolese government and the Congo River Alliance (AFC), which supports the M23 rebel group.

The primary point of contention between Kinshasa and Kigali involves the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an armed group originating from the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Rwanda views the FDLR as a security threat and has criticized DRC’s demobilization efforts as insufficient. Conversely, the DRC maintains that it is fulfilling its obligations and accuses Rwanda of using security concerns as a pretext for territorial expansion and violating Congolese sovereignty.

On the ground in regions like Goma, residents and activists remain skeptical of these diplomatic efforts. Violence continues to displace populations and destroy agricultural livelihoods, with both the DRC army and the M23-AFC coalition accusing one another of violating ceasefires and targeting civilians. While observers like civil society activist Herve Amani suggest that dialogue is still preferable to escalation, there is a clear consensus that the talks will only be meaningful if they produce concrete, verifiable commitments.

Source: Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera — https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/16/drc-rwanda-can-geneva-talks-break-the-cycle-of-war-in-eastern-congo?traffic_source=rss