Despite the agreement signed by the DRC and Rwanda, mediated by the United States, and calls to finalize this document and close the gaps between Kinshasa and Kigali, these gaps have widened further in the last few days.

On one side, the DRC refused to sign the Regional Economic Integration Framework (REIF), one of the elements derived from the agreement with Rwanda, and on which delegations from both sides worked, apparently without objection.

However, at the time of signing the agreement, the DRC decided not to do so and conditioned this step on the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from its territory.

On the other, DRC President Felix Tshisekedi extended a hand to his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, and in the context of the Global Gateway Forum held on October 9 in Brussels, Belgium, called for working together to end the security crisis in the eastern region of his country.

Tshisekedi said he would suspend the request for sanctions on Kigali and await a response, while also calling for an end to Rwandan support for the rebels of the Congo River Alliance-the March 23 Movement (AFC/M23).

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