DRC Washington Accords Move to Senate After Assembly Vote

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s National Assembly has adopted two bills authorizing ratification of the Washington Accords, sending the texts to the Senate for a second reading after a near-unanimous vote, according to Actualité.cd.

The measures cover the peace agreement between the DRC and Rwanda and a strategic partnership between the DRC and the United States, both signed in Washington.

National Deputy Singoma Mwanza, elected from Nyiragongo in North Kivu, said the vote should send a clear message to communities affected by conflict in eastern DRC: lawmakers want peace to return as quickly as possible.

The next stage now moves to the Senate, where the two texts are expected to undergo a second reading before the ratification process can advance. The DRC-Rwanda peace agreement includes security coordination provisions and broader efforts linked to regional stability, according to the U.S. State Department.

Mwanza also stressed that peace agreements should not become a shield for impunity. He said serious crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the war must still be addressed through justice mechanisms.

The issue remains sensitive because eastern DRC has faced years of violence involving armed groups, regional tensions and large-scale displacement. The DRC and Rwanda signed a U.S.-mediated peace agreement in Washington in June 2025, but implementation has remained closely watched by international observers, with AP noting concerns over whether the deal can address the deeper roots of the conflict.

For Kinshasa, the Senate review will be the next political test: whether the agreements can move beyond formal ratification and become a framework for security, accountability and durable peace in the east.