Congolese and Rwandan Joint Communiqué Against Armed Presence in Eastern DRC

We welcome the signing in Nairobi on November 10 of a “Joint Communiqué of the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Government of the Republic of Rwanda on a common approach to end the threat posed to peace and stability in both countries and the Great Lakes Region.” This joint statement creates a new opportunity to end the armed presence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo of former Rwandan Armed Forces (ex-Far) and rebel Interahamwe implicated in Rwanda’s 1994 genocide.

We call on both parties to implement the provisions of the communiqué immediately. As a friend of both countries, we will work with them and the international community to support implementation. We condemn continuing attacks on innocent civilians in eastern Congo, especially by illegal armed groups such as the forces of renegade Congolese General Laurent Nkunda, as well as the ex-FAR and Interahamwe.