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Technical teams from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda initialed the text of a draft peace agreement that both countries' foreign affairs ministers are due to sign on June 27, Radio France Internationale reported on June 19. 

Congo, Rwanda: Ministers Scheduled To Sign Peace Agreement on June 27

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The U.S. State Department issued a memo giving 36 countries 60 days to meet new department requirements or be added to a travel ban implemented on June 9, The Washington Post reported on June 14.

U.S.: Trump Administration Considers Adding 36 More Countries to Travel Ban

The United States is backing proposals for a peace deal between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda that would require Rwanda to preemptively withdraw its forces from eastern Congo, Reuters reported on June 10. 

Congo, Rwanda: White House Backs Preemptive Rwandan Withdrawal as Part of Peace Deal With Congo

Former President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Joseph Kabila made his first public appearance in the country since 2023 in the city of Goma, held by the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels, Jeune Afrique reported on May 30.

Congo: Former President Kabila Makes Public Appearance in Goma  

Senior adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump Massad Boulos said the United States is pushing the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda to sign a formal peace deal in two months, Reuters reported on May 1.

Congo, Rwanda: Trump Administration Eyes Peace Agreement, Mineral Deals in Two Months

The Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group seized the town of Kaziba in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's South Kivu province following clashes with the Congolese military and pro-government Wazalendo militias despite the group's commitment to advance a ceasefire, Radio Okapi reported on April 28. 

Congo: Fighting Continues Despite U.S.-Brokered 'Declaration of Principles' With Rwanda

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will receive Congolese Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner and her Rwandan counterpart, Olivier Nduhungirehe, who are due to sign a "declaration of principles," Jeune Afrique reported on April 25.

Congo: U.S. Secretary Marco Rubio To Receive Congolese and Rwandan Counterparts for 'Peace Pathway Deal'

The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo announced the suspension of former President Joseph Kabila's People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy, or PPRD, Reuters reported on April 20.

Congo: Government Suspends Former President Kabila's Party, Opens High Treason Case 

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Israeli air defense systems are activated to intercept Iranian missiles over the Israeli city of Tel Aviv early on June 18, 2025. 

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: Israel-Iran Conflict Rages On, NATO Holds Annual Summit

M23 fighters are seen at the main border crossing between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda in Goma on March 1, 2025.

Mediation efforts from the Trump administration will likely see the two African countries ink a peace deal in the coming months, but implementation will prove challenging, sustaining the risk of a new military escalation in eastern Congo.

U.S. Mediation Brings Congo and Rwanda Closer to a Peace Deal

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Members of the M23 rebel group are seen in Bukavu, eastern Congo, after the takeover of the city on Feb. 20, 2025.

Burundi's reported troop withdrawal and Uganda's apparent unwillingness to intervene against the AFC/M23 rebel group will limit the immediate risk of an escalating interstate conflict, but this could change if the rebels start advancing toward central Congo.

Assessing the Risk of an Expanded Conflict in Congo

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Damage on Feb. 13 in the Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza.

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The Weekly Rundown: Mideast Ceasefires and Arab Gaza Proposals, the AU Summit

An M23 fighter stands in the foreground as detained Congolese soldiers are loaded onto trucks on Jan. 30, 2025, in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. 

Unless the Congolese government agrees to enter direct talks, Rwanda-backed rebels will likely resume their advance toward the city of Bukavu, whose fall would expose Congo to mounting instability, including nationwide unrest and a potential military coup.

Fighting in Eastern Congo Reaches a Crossroads as Rebels Press Southward

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Essential Geopolitics: Increased Conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

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The lobby of the headquarters for the U.S. Agency for International Development is seen on Feb. 3, 2025, in Washington, D.C. 

Cuts to U.S.-funded humanitarian and development programs could worsen global health outcomes, destabilize security environments, accelerate democratic backsliding, and create opportunities for rival powers to expand their influence.

The Global Implications of Trump's Foreign Aid Cuts

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Trucks wait to enter United States on Nov. 26, 2024, at the Otay crossing port in Tijuana, Baja California state, Mexico.

The Weekly Rundown: Trump's Tariffs, Congo Braces for More Fighting in the East

A member of the M23 armed group walks alongside residents through a neighborhood in Goma, eastern Congo, on Jan. 27, 2025. 

The M23's entry into the eastern city will give Tshisekedi little choice but to engage in politically risky talks with the Rwanda-backed rebel group, or allow the conflict to expand and escalate.

M23 Advances in Goma Put Congo's President in a Tight Spot

Central African Republic

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A Rwandan soldier walks in front of a burned truck near Palma in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado region on Sept. 22, 2021. 

Rwanda’s expanding troop deployments in other African countries seek to enhance its regional political and economic influence, but entail risks that could harm its operations and reputation.

Rwanda's Growing Military Influence in Africa: Opportunities and Risks

What is the future trajectory of the peace process?

Essential Geopolitics: Implications of Cancelled Peace Talks between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda

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A sign reading ''leader of insurgents'' on a photo of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's face is held up during a protest calling for Yoon's ouster in Seoul, South Korea, on Dec. 8, 2024. 

The Weekly Rundown: Putin's Annual Press Conference, Another Impeachment Vote in South Korea

<p>The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a massive country in Central Africa. It is bordered by the Central African Republic and South Sudan to the north; Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania to the east; Zambia and Angola to the south; and the Republic of the Congo to the west. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is roughly the size of Western Europe, and much of its territory is covered by dense jungle and is difficult to navigate. Its mammoth size and position in Central Africa have long drawn interest from outsiders. From the French and Belgian imperial conquests of the Congo River in the 19th and early 20th centuries to Cold War superpower intrigue and regional wars in the post-independence period, the country has attracted more than its fair share of foreign meddling. Since independence, the country has struggled to manage its extensive territories and its ethnic and regional divisions. It can be said that under the best of circumstances, the country is weak and prone to internal cleavages. Kinshasa, the political capital, simply does not have the resources to exercise a monopoly on force. By extension, the country&#39;s infrastructure remains woefully underdeveloped. Instead, the decades since independence have seen countless rebellions and other forms of insurrection in Katanga and other regions. Given this instability, the country&#39;s deep pockets of natural resources and its security vacuums have made it an attractive place for neighboring states and foreign powers to intrude. In regional terms, this has included Rwanda, Uganda and many other states over the years, and the United States and the Soviet Union fought for influence there after 1960. Additionally, the U.N. presence in the Congo is one of the longest-running operations for the international organization, tracing its origins back to 1960. The country&#39;s unwieldy size and difficult terrain profoundly constrain any movement beyond its status as a failed state. As such, it will remain a source of interest and concern for states near and far for many years to come.</p>

SITUATION REPORTS

Congo, Rwanda: Ministers Scheduled To Sign Peace Agreement on June 27

U.S.: Trump Administration Considers Adding 36 More Countries to Travel Ban

Congo, Rwanda: White House Backs Preemptive Rwandan Withdrawal as Part of Peace Deal With Congo

Congo: Former President Kabila Makes Public Appearance in Goma

Congo, Rwanda: Trump Administration Eyes Peace Agreement, Mineral Deals in Two Months

Congo: Fighting Continues Despite U.S.-Brokered 'Declaration of Principles' With Rwanda

Congo: U.S. Secretary Marco Rubio To Receive Congolese and Rwandan Counterparts for 'Peace Pathway Deal'

Congo: Government Suspends Former President Kabila's Party, Opens High Treason Case

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