Rwanda and DR Congo Pledge to Reduce Tensions - May Allah Grant Peace
Assalamu alaikum. I wanted to share a short update and ask for dua. The US said Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have promised to take steps to calm things down and renewed their commitment to a peace deal that so far hasn’t stopped the violence. They signed the agreement in Washington in June after the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels took control of large areas in the mineral-rich and long-troubled east of the DRC. But attacks have continued, and Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi has accused Rwanda of trying to take over eastern parts of his country.
US leaders have been highlighting the DRC-Rwanda agreement, and said it could help access minerals needed for advanced technologies. In a meeting in Washington, both sides acknowledged slow progress and agreed to push harder to implement the peace deal, according to a joint statement from the US State Department. They agreed on near-term steps on key parts of the pact, including Rwanda’s demand that Kinshasa act against the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an ethnic Hutu group linked to the 1994 genocide. Rwanda has said it will stop its “defensive measures” only after action is taken against the FDLR.
The statement also said the parties pledged not to use hostile actions or rhetoric, especially political attacks or language that would make implementing the agreement harder, including in international settings. They’ve also signed the full economic part of the deal. The M23 has taken cities like Goma and Bukavu and set up parallel administration, including new taxes and encouraging people to use mobile payments. Many police stations and courts were abandoned after the armed group arrived, leaving little authority to fight scams and fraud. Scams - from phishing to fake messages claiming to be relatives or organisations, and even Ponzi schemes - have been common in the DRC and neighboring countries, causing many people financial harm.
Please keep those affected in your duas. May Allah make it easy for the innocent, bring justice, and grant true and lasting peace to the region.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/