The International Contact Group for the Great Lakes region has urged the Democratic Republic of Congo to move swiftly to implement a newly signed agreement on the disarmament and demobilisation of a faction of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), warning that credible action is essential to the region’s fragile peace process.
The group, chaired by France and comprising the United States, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, the European Union, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, welcomed the announcement by the Congolese government that an FDLR faction had formally accepted and signed a protocol covering disarmament, demobilisation and cantonment.
The agreement, announced on 28 July, comes as diplomatic efforts intensify to end years of conflict in eastern Congo, where armed groups and regional tensions have repeatedly threatened efforts to establish a durable peace.
The Contact Group called on Kinshasa to develop an operational plan and a realistic timetable for what it described as the effective neutralisation of the FDLR.
It said implementation should be consistent with commitments made under the Washington agreements, including the October 31, 2024 framework on the disengagement of forces and lifting of Rwanda’s defensive measures, as well as the Washington agreement signed on June 27, 2025.
The group stressed that signing the protocol was only the beginning and that its credibility would ultimately depend on implementation.
“The ICG notes the crucial importance that the Congolese Government implements the protocol,” the group said, while urging authorities to clarify how the agreement’s provisions on combating impunity would be enforced.
It also called on Kinshasa to work closely with the United Nations peacekeeping mission MONUSCO, describing it as a key partner in putting the commitments into practice.
The Contact Group issued a particular warning against any cooperation between Congolese forces and the FDLR.
It said any colocation or operational collaboration with FDLR elements would be fundamentally inconsistent with commitments made under the Washington Accords.
At the same time, the group said it remained prepared to recognise concrete progress by either Congo or Rwanda in fulfilling commitments made through the wider peace process.
It urged all parties to the Washington accords and the Doha Framework, alongside mediation initiatives led by the African Union and others, to maintain pressure for implementation.
The group also reminded the parties of their responsibility to protect civilians and comply with UN Security Council resolutions 2773 and 2808, including obligations relating to sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“Immediate de-escalation” was necessary, it said, as diplomatic efforts continue to address the conflict.
The Contact Group also welcomed a prisoner exchange agreement between the Congolese government and the AFC/M23, describing it as an important confidence-building measure that could help reduce tensions and rebuild trust between the opposing sides.
It specifically commended a recent transfer facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross of individuals released by Congolese authorities to AFC/M23, calling the move a step in the right direction.
The group nevertheless stressed that progress on the diplomatic front must be accompanied by protection for civilians and adherence to international humanitarian law.
It called on all parties to honour their obligations and ensure that humanitarian organisations have full, safe and unhindered access to communities affected by the conflict.
The appeal comes as international and regional mediators seek to turn a series of diplomatic commitments into concrete measures on the ground, amid continued insecurity in eastern Congo. For the Contact Group, the implementation of the FDLR disarmament protocol, prisoner exchanges and broader commitments under the Washington and Doha processes will be critical tests of whether the latest peace efforts can produce lasting change.
