The peace negotiations in Washington, Doha, and Montreux initially stirred optimism for the Democratic Republic of Congo. Yet a recent United Nations Group of Experts assessment pulls back the curtain, revealing that these diplomatic efforts achieved only modest outcomes.
The Rwandan Defence Force and the AFC/M23 alliance claimed troop withdrawals, but the UN experts describe these as mere tactical repositionings, shifting just 15 to 20 kilometres. Meanwhile, fresh Rwandan reinforcements, including anti-aircraft systems, kept flowing into the region until at least April 2026. No significant retreat was observed in the following months.
The Congolese government also bears responsibility for the deadlock. The report notes that Kinshasa failed to honour its pledge to neutralise the FDLR militia, which continued to operate alongside the national army, the FARDC.
Internal divisions within the AFC/M23 further complicate the picture. While political figures like Corneille Nangaa and former President Joseph Kabila aspired to seize power in Kinshasa, most M23 military leaders refused to engage in operations beyond North and South Kivu. This clash between political ambitions and battlefield realities has eroded the movement’s cohesion.
