Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Vincent Biruta and his Congolese counterpart Christophe Lutundula recently met in Luanda, Angola, to discuss security and peace in eastern DR Congo. The meeting followed engagements between Angolan President Joao Lourenço, Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi, and Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

President Lourenço, who is mediating between Rwanda and DR Congo under the African Union-backed Luanda process, is expected to host a meeting between Presidents Tshisekedi and Kagame. The Luanda process aims to mend diplomatic relations affected by the conflict in eastern DR Congo, where a government-led coalition is fighting the M23 rebels.

After months of tensions and calls for negotiations, regional leaders revived the Luanda process at a meeting in Addis Ababa on February 16. President Lourenço hosted President Tshisekedi on February 27, followed by a meeting with President Kagame on March 11. The leaders agreed to address the root causes of the conflict in eastern DR Congo and uphold the Luanda and Nairobi processes, seeking a lasting solution to the violence in the region.

Accusations between DR Congo and Rwanda continue, with DR Congo alleging Rwandan support for rebels, while Rwanda accuses the Congolese armed forces of integrating the FDLR, a UN-sanctioned militia linked to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. The FDLR, part of the Congolese government-led coalition, poses a threat to Rwanda and is accused of inciting violence against Congolese Tutsi communities.

The FDLR’s actions have led to the exile of hundreds of thousands of Congolese people, with Rwanda hosting up to 100,000 Congolese refugees. The group, founded in 2000 with the help of Congolese leaders, remains integrated into the Congolese armed forces despite orders to end contact. The FDLR has not only threatened DR Congo’s security but has also launched attacks on Rwanda for over two decades.

Eastern DR Congo, home to over 130 armed groups, has been volatile for nearly 30 years. Despite multiple interventions, the violence in the region persists. The meeting between the foreign ministers of Rwanda and DR Congo in Luanda signifies a continued effort to address the root causes of the conflict and work towards lasting peace in the region.