U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Jim Risch, who serve as the Ranking Member and Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued a joint statement regarding the recent signing of the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity. The agreement, signed between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, was facilitated by the Trump Administration.
In their statement, Shaheen and Risch said: “The signing of the Washington Accords has the potential to be an important step toward stability and growth in Eastern Congo. We commend the President and Secretary Rubio for their leadership and sustained engagement on a conflict that has caused irreparable harm to communities and taken far too many lives. But success requires more than signatures—it requires action. The Washington Accords must lead to an immediate halt in the atrocities and humanitarian crises devastating Eastern Congo. It must also end the illegal occupation of territory by the Rwanda-backed M23, whose ongoing and expanding attacks continue to destabilize the region.
“The African Union and the countries represented at today’s signing, especially those in the region, also bear responsibility for upholding these agreements. The United States is committed to the path towards peace between the DRC and Rwanda, and we are prepared to act if this agreement is not upheld.”
The senators highlighted that regional organizations such as the African Union, along with neighboring countries involved in today's agreement, have a duty to support its implementation. They reiterated that U.S. involvement would continue if there were failures to adhere to its terms.
