Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) last week launched a joint monitoring mechanism in a bid to tame a vicious cycle of violence, that continued even as both sides pledged to back a peace path.
Officials say it will monitor compliance with the ceasefire between the two countries, but also between the M23 and the Congolese army (FARDC), following multiple violations of past agreements.
The new mechanism will also be responsible for detecting and documenting potential ceasefire violations, whether originating from the DRC or Rwanda. This monitoring will help to identify sources of tension and to address the mutual accusations of aggression and attacks that have marked the conflict.
The launch of this new peace-seeking structure is one of the commitments made by the DRC and Rwanda on August 4, as part of the ceasefire negotiations, and confirmed at the 5th ministerial meeting in Luanda on October 12.
This reinforces the ad-hoc verification mechanism initially used. Angola, the mediator in this tension says it can resolve the matter of continual trust deficits especially since it pools technocrats from both sides, and the Angolans.
Bintou Keita, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative in the DRC, also attended the ceremony, underlining importance of mechanism for regional stability and security of populations.
"We are here so that there can be peace, so that there can be the mechanism for verifying the ceasefire which was agreed on August 4 and which must be respected. We, Rwanda, are still committed to the Luanda process", declared Nduhungirehe, Rwanda's Minister of Foreign Affairs, at the end of the ceremony.
The mechanism also aims to establish a framework for direct dialogue between the two countries in an attempt to resolve the war that is tearing the eastern part of the DRC apart, in particular North Kivu and Ituri.
"This mechanism is an opportunity to find a peaceful solution to the conflict. It must be followed by concrete measures to stop the violence on the ground," stressed the military governor of North Kivu, Maj-Gen Peter Chirimwami Nkuba, who also took part in the ceremony.
This statement comes against a backdrop of mistrust and persistent tensions between the two neighboring nations. For over two weeks, the ceasefire has been broken by fighting that has enabled the M23 to gain further ground in the Walikale territory of North Kivu. The M23 and the Congolese government accuse each other of being behind the renewed fighting.
Lawrence Kanyuka, spokesman for the M23, accused the Congolese government of "repeated and deliberate violations of the ceasefire".
Guy Mwadyamvita, the Congolese Minister of Defecse, claims that the FARDC (Congolese army) is putting up "resistance" in order to "defend their positions by preventing the advance of the M23". Last week's fighting has again forced many civilians to flee their villages, exacerbating the humanitarian precariousness of these war-displaced people.
Rwanda and the DRC are expected to continue the Luanda peace process on November 16, with the 6th ministerial meeting of the two countries.
