The United States has invited senior officials from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda to Washington this week in an effort to revive stalled peace efforts in eastern Congo, diplomatic sources and a spokesperson for the Congolese presidency said on Monday.
According to two diplomatic sources, bilateral meetings between U.S. officials and representatives from each country are scheduled for March 17. A trilateral meeting involving all three parties could take place on March 18 if the initial discussions show progress.
The talks would mark the first direct engagement involving the parties since the U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on the Rwanda Defence Force and four of its senior officers on March 2.
A spokesperson for Congo’s presidency said the meetings were long-planned sessions of the Joint Oversight Committee (JOC) and the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism (JSCM), which are part of ongoing dialogue under the Washington agreements between Kinshasa and Kigali.
Those agreements include discussions on a bilateral peace accord as well as a broader strategic partnership between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the United States.
Washington has repeatedly accused Rwanda of backing the M23 rebel group, which has been active in eastern Congo. Kigali denies supporting the insurgents.
The diplomatic meetings will take place as dozens of African officials gather in Washington for the Powering Africa Summit, including several energy ministers from across the continent.
The M23 rebel movement launched a rapid offensive in eastern Congo in January 2025 and continues to control significant areas of territory in the region.
Rwanda’s foreign ministry and the U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.