The United States has invited senior officials from Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda to Washington this week in an effort to revive stalled peace talks over the conflict in eastern Congo.
According to diplomatic sources, the United States will first hold separate meetings with each country on March 17, followed by a joint meeting on March 18 if progress is made.
The talks come shortly after the United States Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on the Rwanda Defence Force and four senior officers earlier in March. Washington claims Rwanda supports the M23, a rebel group fighting in eastern Congo, although Rwanda strongly denies the accusation.
The conflict intensified in January 2025, when M23 fighters launched a rapid offensive and captured large areas in eastern Congo, worsening an already complex security crisis in the region.
The discussions will take place while many African officials are already in Washington for the Powering Africa Summit, which brings together ministers and policymakers from across the continent.
Officials from both countries and the United States Department of State have not yet commented publicly on the upcoming meetings, but the talks are seen as an important step toward easing tensions and finding a peaceful solution to the conflict.
Source: TRT World
