Former U.S. Official Questions DRC’s Commitment to Neutralizing FDLR

Washington, March 20, 2026 - Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Tibor Nagy, has expressed skepticism over the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s willingness to dismantle the FDLR armed group, a key condition in ongoing regional peace efforts.

The remarks come amid renewed diplomatic engagement between Rwanda and the DRC following a peace agreement signed in Washington on 27 June 2025, with U.S. support. The accord includes provisions for the neutralization of the FDLR and the eventual lifting of Rwanda’s security measures.

Although both countries ratified the agreement in December 2025 and recently recommitted to its implementation during talks held on 17-18 March 2026, progress remains limited.

Nagy argued that lasting peace in eastern DRC depends on concrete action against the FDLR, which Rwanda considers a major security threat. “It would be good to issue another joint peace declaration… but it all starts with Congo dismantling the FDLR,” he said, adding that he doubts Kinshasa’s willingness or ability to do so.

Rwanda has maintained that its security measures will remain in place until the group is effectively neutralized.

The ongoing stalemate highlights the challenges facing regional diplomacy, as both sides seek to balance security concerns and political commitments under the Washington peace framework.