Five parties involved in the ongoing peace agreement process between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, have issued a Joint Statement from the Inaugural Joint Oversight Committee Meeting to that effect.
The four Governments of the United States of America, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Rwanda and the State of Qatar, together with the African Union (AU), have released a joint statement on the occasion of the first Joint Oversight Committee held in Washington, D.C.
On July 31, 2025, representatives from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Republic of Rwanda (Rwanda), along with observers from the United States, the State of Qatar, the Republic of Togo, acting as the African Union facilitator and the African Union Commission (AUC) held the first meeting of the Joint Oversight Committee.
The JOC was a follow-up to the Peace Agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Republic of Rwanda that was signed in Washington, D.C. on June 27, 2025.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda had inked a peace deal in the United States to end years of fighting between the neighbouring countries.
The Joint Oversight Committee is charged with serving as a forum for implementation and dispute resolution of the peace agreement.
The Committee is responsible for receiving complaints about violations of the agreement, taking appropriate measures to address violations, and amicably settling disputes.
During the first meeting, the parties selected their Chairpersons for the Committee, adopted terms of reference to govern future meetings of the Committee, discussed progress on implementing the Agreement, and prepared for the first meeting of the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism.
The African Union, State of Qatar, and the United States participated in these discussions to ensure complementarity and alignment between implementation efforts and on-going initiatives aimed at dialogue and durable peace in the region.
Both the DR Congo and Rwanda expressed their appreciation for the invaluable contributions and joint efforts of the African Union, United States, and Qatar as partners in advancing a peaceful resolution.