Eastern DRC: US and Swiss delegates assess the process between Kinshasa and the AFC/M23
International mediation efforts regarding the conflict in eastern DRC are underway. Following a mixed round of negotiations in Switzerland in mid-April, American and Swiss delegates traveled to the region to try to move the process forward.
Delegates from the United States and Switzerland held talks with negotiators from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in Kinshasa last week to assess the implementation of the two protocols signed in Doha aimed at advancing peace efforts in eastern Congo.
According to sources familiar with the discussions, the assessment revealed limited progress, as key commitments contained in the agreements — including the release of prisoners and the implementation of a ceasefire — have not been fully respected.
Following the meetings in Kinshasa, Swiss delegates were expected to travel to Goma in North Kivu province. However, sources indicated that concerns over the Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo prompted the delegation to remain in Gisenyi, on the Rwandan side of the border.
Representatives of the AFC/M23 politico-military movement reportedly crossed into Rwanda to join the discussions, which took place over two days on May 26 and 27, 2026.
According to Radio France Internationale (RFI), the United States is encouraging Switzerland to play a greater role in the mediation process amid ongoing instability in the region.
At the center of the discussions was the strategic mining site of Rubaya in Masisi territory, North Kivu province. The site, rich in mineral resources, is reportedly among the key interests linked to mining agreements signed between Washington and Kinshasa last year.
Sources say the AFC/M23 has also expressed willingness to engage directly with the United States regarding the future management and exploitation of the Rubaya mining zone.
Meanwhile, fighting continues around Rubaya, where the Congolese army has intensified military operations against AFC/M23-controlled areas using both ground offensives and aerial attacks.
Residents and local sources report that drone strikes and air raids have caused civilian casualties and significant material damage in recent days.
Eastern DRC, which borders Rwanda and contains vast deposits of strategic minerals, has faced armed conflict for more than three decades involving numerous rebel groups and militias.
Violence escalated sharply following the resurgence of the M23 rebellion in 2021. The movement later seized the city of Goma in January 2025 and Bukavu in February 2025, deepening tensions in the region.
Efforts to restore peace have so far yielded limited results despite the signing of a peace agreement between the governments of Rwanda and the DRC in Washington in June 2025, followed by a declaration of principles signed between Kinshasa and the M23 in Doha in July 2025 in support of a permanent ceasefire.
