By Lizzy Masinga & Mariam Mjahid
Published January 23, 2026

             A Texas congressman has said that integrating the M23 rebels into government security forces, along with neighboring countries collaborating to benefit from Congo's mineral resources, would be a solution to the long-running war in northeastern Congo.

             Congressman Ronny Jackson, a former US Army doctor, made the statement Thursday as the US House Foreign Affairs Committee questioned government representatives about progress in implementing the Washington peace agreement, signed last month between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda.

             The committee's leader, Chris Smith, said that "the most important thing in the Washington agreement" was the four steps set by all parties, on the basis that "Rwanda agreed to withdraw its troops [from Congo] but only if the DRC respected the agreed plan to destroy the FDLR group."

             Smith, who represents the state of New Jersey, said that the underlying causes of this war are still emerging and spreading to other areas, and that the FDLR with its genocidal ideology remains a major problem for the Rwandan government in northeastern Congo.

Sarah Troutman, former US State Department representative

             Sarah Troutman, assistant secretary of state for African affairs, who attended to provide a briefing on behalf of the government, said that the FDLR is a group of concern, and “they are not allowed to operate in northeastern Congo.”

             “We continue to urge the DRC government that eliminating the FDLR, as they promised in this agreement, is a priority, and we want to see more steps taken to achieve that.” Troutman also said that integrating the M23 into the Congolese army is a key issue in the Doha talks. He added: “And it is something that will be discussed in the upcoming talks, and we strongly support the efforts that are being made to prepare for those talks, with the United States continuing to provide technical assistance as we prepare for those talks.”

             However, Congolese authorities have in recent months criticized this proposal, and late on September 9, a ruling party lawmaker submitted to parliament a bill that prohibits former rebels from being recruited into the military and government structures without first being brought before the legal authorities.


This article was published on January 23, 2026 and can be found online at: https://www.bbc.com/swahili/live/c368820yyzet