Rwanda, DR Congo officials hold first meeting following U.S.-brokered peace agreement

Officials from Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have convened the first meeting of a joint oversight committee established under the United States-brokered peace agreement for eastern DRC, the two governments announced in a joint statement on Friday.

KIGALI, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- Officials from Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have convened the first meeting of a joint oversight committee established under the United States-brokered peace agreement for eastern DRC, the two governments announced in a joint statement on Friday.

During the meeting held on Thursday, the parties "discussed progress in the implementation of the peace agreement" signed on June 27 in Washington, D.C., the United States, according to the statement issued by Rwanda's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

The meeting also selected chairpersons for the committee and adopted terms of reference to govern future meetings, it said.

Representatives from the United States, Qatar, and Togo, serving as the African Union's designated peace facilitator for the DRC, attended the session as observers.

Both DRC and Rwanda expressed their appreciation for the "invaluable contributions and joint efforts" of the African Union, the United States, and Qatar as partners in advancing peaceful resolution, according to the statement.

The agreement, signed by the foreign ministers of Rwanda and the DRC, calls for a cessation of hostilities between the two countries' armed forces. It responds to key concerns, including respect for DRC's territorial integrity, the disarmament of armed groups, and the implementation of measures to restore lasting stability in the region.

Rwandan and Congolese officials have pledged to translate the accord into lasting peace and full pacification of the eastern DRC, which has been plagued by violence for decades.■