RDC peace diplomacy in doubt as un report reveals limited progress

The Washington accords, Doha agreements, and Montreux commitments once sparked hope. But a United Nations expert report brings them back down to earth, describing only “limited results.”

Withdrawals by the Rwandan Defence Force and the AFC/M23 amounted to mere “tactical repositioning” of 15 to 20 kilometres, while Rwandan reinforcements, including anti-aircraft systems, kept flowing in until April 2026. No significant pullback was observed in the weeks thereafter.

The DRC is not without blame in this failure. The report notes that Kinshasa failed to honour its commitment to neutralise the FDLR, which continued fighting alongside the FARDC.

Experts also highlight internal rifts within the AFC/M23: while Corneille Nangaa and Joseph Kabila harboured ambitions to seize power in Kinshasa, most M23 military commanders opposed any operations beyond North Kivu and South Kivu. This fracture between political ambitions and military realities undermines the movement’s coherence.