By Gigi Kotze
17/07/2025
Recent Developments: A New Peace Agreement Between Rwanda and the DRC
On 27 June, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) signed a peace agreement mediated by the US and Qatar. This has birthed new hope that the fighting — which has killed thousands and forced many more to flee their homes — might finally end.
At a ceremony in Washington with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the foreign ministers of Rwanda and the DRC signed an agreement promising to follow a 2024 plan. This plan includes pulling Rwandan troops out of eastern Congo within 90 days. The deal also promises to stop fighting, work together economically, and address armed groups in the area.
President Félix Tshisekedi of the DRC said the deal would bring a “new era of stability, cooperation and prosperity.” Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe said the agreement was a turning point. Congo’s Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner said it must be followed by disengagement.
President Donald Trump later met both officials in the Oval Office, where he gave them letters inviting Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame to Washington to sign a full set of agreements. Nduhungirehe told Trump that past deals had not been carried out and asked him to stay involved. Trump warned of “very severe penalties, financial and otherwise” if the agreement is broken. He also suggested meeting again in a few weeks to finalise the full protocol and agreement. Meanwhile, the current deal gives Congo and Rwanda three months to start putting the framework into action.
Speaking recently at a news conference in Kigali, President Paul Kagame said Rwanda was still committed to the agreement but questioned whether Kinshasa would do its part.
As followers of Christ, we have faithfully lifted up the DRC and the surrounding region in prayer throughout this difficult year. In the midst of this darkness, we can rejoice and give thanks to God for the encouraging steps taken towards peace — notably, the recent signing of the peace agreement. However, while we celebrate these positive developments, we also recognise the need for continued, fervent prayer that the terms of the agreement will be faithfully upheld by all parties involved.
M23 and the Challenges to Lasting Peace
Fighting has worsened this year as M23 rebels seized key towns, raising fears of a wider war involving Congo’s neighbours. The UN accuses Rwanda of backing the group with troops, which Rwanda denies, saying its presence in eastern DRC is to counter threats from the FDLR — a Hutu militia linked to the 1994 genocide. The M23 conflict is part of a long-running crisis rooted in that genocide, and their recent gains have deepened instability. Although the new peace deal is seen as a step forward, analysts are sceptical, especially as M23 says it is not bound by the agreement. While the group has not taken part in the US-led talks, it is involved in a separate process in Doha with the Congolese government. Both parties have agreed to return for further discussions, but few details have been made public.
The complex situation, rooted in deep tensions dating back to the 1994 genocide, reminds us of the lasting effects of sin and brokenness in our world. Yet, we cling to the hope of God’s promises, trusting that one day there will be a new heaven and earth under Christ’s reign, where pain and tears will be no more. We must especially pray earnestly for breakthrough in the peace talks in Qatar between the Congolese government and M23 – for the Lord’s will to be done and His Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven.
The Impact of War: Responding with Faith, Justice and Prayer
With 7 million people displaced, the UN has called the crisis in eastern DRC “one of the most protracted, complex, serious humanitarian crises on Earth.” UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher said people have faced “decades of trauma,” with the latest M23 attacks adding to the five million already in displacement camps. Over 20 million now need urgent aid, yet funding is drying up — especially from the US, which once covered 70% of UN support. Fletcher warned that this forces “brutal choices, life-and-death choices” on who gets help. “People are dying because of the cuts,” he said, highlighting the desperate needs of women, children, and entire communities.
The suffering in the DRC calls us to a deep, compassionate response rooted in faith. As the Bible teaches in Isaiah 1:17 (NIV), “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” We are reminded that standing with those who are vulnerable is a vital part of living out our Christian faith. We must commit to persistent, united prayer — lifting up the people affected, the leaders making decisions, and the aid workers on the ground. As the global body of Christ, we can also actively raise awareness within our churches and communities to ensure that those in need are not forgotten by the world.
Healing Begins with Heart Transformation
Both the DRC (with 91.43% of the population identifying as Christian and 19.16% as Evangelical) and Rwanda (90.36% Christian, 26.57% Evangelical) are predominantly Christian nations. Yet, it is a painful reality that two countries professing to follow Jesus are locked in such conflict. While both countries have large Christian populations, many communities still hold to certain traditional beliefs that include worshipping ancestors, believing in spirits, and performing rituals connected to their heritage. These practices often exist alongside Christianity, sometimes blending together in what is called syncretism. True peace needs more than politics; it requires hearts changed and transformed by the Gospel. Lasting peace comes when God’s values — love, humility, and unity — are truly lived out. We cannot combine Jesus with cultural practices that do not honour Him. True change comes only when Christ’s love renews us from the inside.
As we reflect on the fragile yet hopeful steps toward peace in the DRC and Rwanda, we are reminded that true and lasting change cannot come through politics alone. It must be rooted in the transforming power of the Gospel. While agreements are important, only God can heal hearts, restore relationships, and bring about real peace. As the body of Christ, we are called to stand in prayer, speak up for the vulnerable, and trust in the One who makes all things new.
Please join us in prayer:
- Pray for wisdom, unity, and commitment among the leaders of Rwanda and the DRC to faithfully uphold the peace agreement and work together.
- Pray for breakthrough in the ongoing peace talks in Qatar between the Congolese government and the M23 rebels.
- Pray for the millions displaced and suffering in the humanitarian crisis, asking God to provide protection, healing, and provision, and for the local and global Church to respond with compassion, justice, and practical support.
- Pray for a true spiritual revival of hearts in both nations, that people would be transformed by the Gospel and truly embrace God’s values of love, humility, and unity, leading to genuine peace and reconciliation.
Sources:
https://www.dw.com/en/dr-congo-rwanda-peace-deal-met-with-skepticism/a-73147656
https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/06/1165071
https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/06/1164981
