Following talks in Qatar, the two countries' presidents pledged their commitment to an unconditional ceasefire between Congo's army and a rebel group that Rwanda denies supporting.
Leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda have called for a ceasefire in eastern Congo, seeking to end the latest deadly chapter in the three-decade conflict.
The surprise announcement followed an unannounced meeting in Qatar on Tuesday, and analysts said it could either mark a de-escalation of a conflict that threatens to escalate into a regional war or be another failed attempt to bring peace to the part of central Africa.
Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame have pledged to “an immediate and unconditional ceasefire,” according to a joint statement issued with Qatar, although they did not specify how the ceasefire would be implemented or monitored.
The meeting was the leaders' most significant move since a Rwandan-backed armed group called M23 seized two of eastern Congo's largest cities and large swaths of territory in an offensive that began in January.
“This is the first time both leaders have made a concrete statement,” said Oluwole Ojewale, a scholar at the Institute for Security Studies who specializes in Central Africa.
