The United States is pushing for a swift resolution to ongoing tensions between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with a senior American diplomat highlighting a goal of reaching a peace agreement as early as June or July.

Troy Fitrell, the U.S. Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region of Africa, stated in a recent virtual briefing that technical teams are actively working to advance the peace process.

“This week we have technical teams engaged to try and reach the next phase,” Fitrell said. “We’ve already agreed on the principles—now the challenge is implementing them. We’re still aiming for a June or July deal.”

He added, “There’s no point in dragging this out. If it’s going to happen, it has to happen now,” underscoring Washington’s urgency in moving the talks forward.

A planned meeting in May between the foreign ministers of Rwanda and the DRC was postponed, signaling persistent tensions and the fragile nature of the negotiations.

Meanwhile, in a separate initiative hosted in Doha, representatives from the Congolese government and the M23 rebel group have been called back for additional discussions following earlier consultations. This Qatar-led dialogue is considered a complementary effort focused on resolving the conflict in eastern Congo, where M23 forces have captured significant territory in recent months.

Despite regional and global engagement, deep mistrust continues between Kinshasa and Kigali. The DRC accuses Rwanda of backing M23 rebels—an allegation Rwanda denies.

While the U.S. has taken on a more active role in trying to narrow the divide, diplomats note that any lasting solution will depend on strong political commitment from all sides.