US Senators Discuss M23 Occupation of Eastern DRC, Backed by Rwanda

February 5, 2026 - US Senators Jim Risch and Jeanne Shaheen met in Washington with President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to discuss bilateral relations, the Washington Peace and Prosperity Accords, and the security situation in eastern DRC, according to a US Senate statement. The senators, chairman and vice-chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, emphasized that the United States is ready to become a stronger partner of the DRC, noting that bipartisan support must be matched by serious efforts by all parties to honor their commitments under the agreements. Discussions included partnerships around critical minerals and investments to revitalize the Lobito Corridor, presented as a lever for mutual economic growth, regional trade, and long-term cooperation between the US and Africa. The senators also voiced concern over “the continued occupation of parts of eastern Congo by the Rwandan-backed M23 group”, calling for a complete withdrawal of Rwandan forces to allow for “a real chance at lasting peace.” The statement highlighted a humanitarian catastrophe in eastern DRC, where 26 million people face acute food insecurity, stressing that women, children, and minority communities cannot remain collateral damage. Finally, the senators stressed that long-term stability requires the DRC to take decisive action against the FDLR and the violent Wazalendo militias, and called on Kinshasa to engage in credible national dialogue or political solutions to strengthen national cohesion and the future of the bilateral partnership.