The ceasefire agreement between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda is welcomed internationally, but has reservations in the region

A ceasefire agreement brokered by Angola reached in Luanda on Tuesday between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda offers little hope in the region after two and a half years of fighting and failure to honour previous commitments, but the international reaction has been positive.

At the UN, Secretary-General’s spokesman Antonio Guterres said the UN hoped the ceasefire would “create the conditions for de-escalation” between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRCongo) and Rwanda.

“We hope that this agreement will help create conditions for easing tensions between DR Congo and Rwanda and for the return of displaced persons to their homes,” Stephane Dujarric told the press, welcoming the agreement and calling on both sides “to respect their commitments to restore peace and security in DR Congo.”

In a statement issued in Kinshasa, the UN mission (Monusco) also welcomed the commitments made and expressed its readiness to support a “special” verification mechanism mandated to monitor compliance with the ceasefire in accordance with its mandate.

Bruno Lemarquis, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in the DR Congo and acting head of MONUSCO, expressed UN support for an agreement that could help defuse the conflict between the two countries and allow displaced people to return to their homes in safety and dignity.

“The United Nations would like to congratulate the President of Angola, His Excellency João Lourenço, for his efforts in the Luanda process,” Lemarques was quoted as saying in the note.

The Leader reaffirmed the United Nations’ continued commitment to supporting efforts to restore peace, security and stability in the DR Congo and called on all parties involved to work constructively to end the violence and achieve a peaceful and lasting solution to the conflicts in the region.

In Brussels, EU Foreign Policy High Representative Josep Borrell also expressed satisfaction today with the 27-nation ceasefire and called on all sides to “strictly” respect it.

“The EU welcomes the ceasefire agreed yesterday [terça-feira] in Luanda as a result of the trilateral meeting between Angola, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” Borrell said in a statement.

Before the deal was reached in Luanda on Tuesday, at least half a dozen ceasefires and truces had been announced, but they had never held for more than a few weeks.

According to international correspondents, in Goma, the capital of North Kivu, currently surrounded by rebels and Rwandan army units, this statement did not arouse much enthusiasm.

No expression of joy disturbed the usual movement of motorcycles and pedestrians, who moved as usual under a sky full of clouds.

“This will lead to nothing. The ceasefire is in the enemy’s interests. The rebels have never respected these decisions of the international community,” said Tresor Tonde Mabala, a student at La Sapiencia University in Goma.

On July 4, the United States announced a two-week humanitarian truce in eastern DR Congo to “allow the voluntary return of displaced persons and provide humanitarian workers with unrestricted access to vulnerable populations.”

But the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel movement accused the DR Congo Armed Forces of violating the agreement, and fighting resumed just three days after the White House announced its commitment.

More than 1.6 million people have been forced to flee their homes by M23 fighting, and the recent escalation has forced tens of thousands more to seek refuge in overcrowded conditions.

Beyond the humanitarian crisis, M23’s fighting has sparked serious tensions between DR Congo and Rwanda over Kigali’s alleged collaboration with the rebel group – a charge that Rwandan authorities have always denied despite UN confirmation.