Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe has accused his Congolese counterpart of refusing to sign an agreed deal aimed at resolving the ongoing M23 rebel conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The conflict has displaced over 1.7 million people.
The Tutsi-led M23 has been waging an insurgency in the region since 2022, and both Congo and Rwanda have accused each other of supporting opposing rebel groups.
Rwanda denies backing the M23 but admits to taking defensive measures against the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a Hutu rebel group.
In late August, both countries participated in negotiations to ease the conflict, which has deepened the humanitarian crisis in the region.
According to Nduhungirehe, delegates to the talks agreed on a plan to neutralize the FDLR and lift Rwanda’s defensive measures.
However, the Congolese minister refused to sign the agreement, citing objections to the timing of the actions.
The Congolese government has not yet responded to the accusations. French President Emmanuel Macron called on both countries to reach an agreement to address the ongoing tensions.