DRC’s diplomatic endeavors: the limited reality of Washington, doha, and montreux agreements

Diplomatic agreements reached in Washington, Doha, and through the Montreux commitments once fueled hopes for peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). However, a recent report from the Group of Experts brings a sobering reality check, indicating these initiatives have yielded only “limited results.”

What were presented as withdrawals by the Rwandan Defence Force (RDF) and the M23-affiliated Congo River Alliance (AFC/M23) were, in practice, nothing more than “tactical repositioning,” with forces shifting by a mere 15 to 20 kilometers. Furthermore, Rwandan reinforcements, notably including anti-aircraft systems, continued to pour into the region as late as April 2026, with no significant pullbacks observed in the subsequent weeks.

The DRC is not without its own accountability in this diplomatic shortfall. The expert assessment highlights the nation’s failure to fulfill its pledge to neutralize the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an armed group that has consistently fought alongside the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC).

Experts also point to internal fissures within the AFC/M23. While figures like Corneille Nangaa and Joseph Kabila reportedly harbored aspirations of seizing power in Kinshasa, a substantial number of M23 military leaders resisted any involvement in operations extending beyond the territories of North Kivu and South Kivu. This evident divide between political ambitions and military realities on the ground significantly compromises the movement’s cohesion.