Delegations from Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, along with mediating parties including the United States, met in Geneva, Switzerland, concluding with both sides committing to push forward on two key priorities they had agreed to.
The talks, held August 12–13, 2026, marked the sixth session of the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism (JSCM), the body overseeing implementation of the Washington Accord.
Besides Rwanda and DRC, the meeting was attended by representatives from the United States, Qatar, Togo (representing the African Union), and the African Union Commission.
A joint statement released after the talks said Rwanda and DRC “committed to advancing two strategies to reinforce oversight and implementation of the Washington Accord.” It added that both parties asked the U.S. to give weight to these two plans and provide input at the next JSCM meeting, and agreed to hold a trilateral meeting in October 2026 that would conclude with a shared Operations Order to guide their joint strategy.
The African Union Commission presented outcomes from its high-level meeting held in Gaborone, Botswana, on July 24–25, 2026. DRC also presented its plan for disarming and repatriating FDLR combatants, responding to questions raised by JSCM participants.
Both governments expressed appreciation to the U.S., Qatar, Togo, and the AU Commission for their support of the peace process, and participants agreed to reconvene at the next JSCM session in Geneva on September 16–17.
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