As current Chair of the African Union and a key witness to the Washington Peace Agreement between Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame—brokered in the presence of former U.S. President Donald Trump—the Burundi delegation expressed deep concern over the continued failure of this U.S.-led initiative to translate into tangible peace on the ground. Despite the agreement, hostilities persist between Congolese government forces and the M23 rebel group, widely reported to be receiving support from Rwanda in eastern DRC.

This assessment was delivered by Burundi’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Development Cooperation, Ambassador Édouard Bizimana, during a high-level meeting with his Congolese counterpart, Floribert Anzuluni, Minister of Regional Integration. Held on June 1 in Bujumbura, the discussions highlighted both the progress and ongoing challenges in implementing the Washington Accord.

Ambassador Bizimana emphasized that while some internally displaced persons have returned home, large areas remain trapped in insecurity, forcing new waves of displacement toward neighboring countries. He stressed the urgent need for stronger international engagement to support regional initiatives already underway.

“The peace and security situation in the region remains fragile,” said Bizimana. “Despite partial improvements allowing some refugees to return, other zones continue to experience a resurgence of violence, leading to further displacement. We must redouble our efforts to ensure the full implementation of the Washington Accord and prevent further suffering among civilian populations.”

The two ministers also reaffirmed the strong bilateral relations between Burundi and the DRC, expressing commitment to deepen cooperation across multiple sectors. Beyond security concerns, key topics included the allocation of land for Burundi’s future embassy in Kinshasa, management of the executive secretariat of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), and preparations for the upcoming ICGLR summit, currently chaired by the DRC.

Minister Anzuluni commended Burundi’s diplomatic leadership, particularly its role in mobilizing humanitarian aid for Congolese refugees hosted in Burundi. He also announced that a Troika meeting is being organized to assess regional security dynamics and review member states’ statutory contributions to the ICGLR.

For his part, Ambassador Bizimana reaffirmed Burundi’s unwavering commitment to silencing the guns across Africa—a priority outlined by President Évariste Ndayishimiye during his acceptance speech as incoming African Union Chair, succeeding Angola’s João Lourenço.

In the Great Lakes region, Burundi and the DRC maintain a strategic defense partnership, formalized through a bilateral agreement signed in March 2023. Facing escalating insecurity in eastern DRC—widely attributed to what Kinshasa describes as Rwandan aggression via the M23 rebellion and its allied factions in South Kivu—Bujumbura has deployed thousands of troops to support the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) and secure the shared border. This military collaboration spans multiple areas of mutual cooperation.

Despite the joint communiqué issued following the Montreux talks in Switzerland (April 13–17, 2026)—involving DRC government representatives and the Alliance Fleuve Congo/M23 (AFC/M23), with mediation by the United States, Qatar, and Togo (as AU mediator)—violations of the ceasefire and non-compliance with commitments persist. Similar challenges have plagued the Washington process, with each party interpreting the agreement’s terms differently, hindering progress toward peace.

This diplomatic impasse, observed by mediators including the U.S. and Qatar, continues to undermine regional stability, as fighting rages on in eastern DRC.