The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) met in Addis Ababa on Thursday.

Their high-level tripartite meeting focused on the voluntary return and reintegration of refugees, according to a joint statement.

Congolese Interior Minister Jacquemain Shabani, Rwandan Ambassador Charles Karamba, and UNHCR’s Raouf Mazou signed the communique.

They adopted the 2025-2026 Tripartite Technical Working Group Road Map, detailing key milestones, responsibilities, and timelines for repatriation efforts.

This follows preparatory talks held in Addis Ababa on July 22-23, building on peace agreements from Washington and Doha earlier this year.

The M23 rebel group, which controls parts of eastern Congo, including Goma and Bukavu, remains central to the ongoing conflict.

The parties pledged to speed up the return of 600 Rwandan refugees living in Goma and strengthen community consultations.

They committed to inclusive reintegration plans and explored ways to resume returns under the July 2025 Doha Declaration.

The statement emphasized that sustainable refugee returns are vital for peace, stability, and recovery in Congo and the Great Lakes region.

It also stressed the importance of addressing the needs of internally displaced persons amid these efforts.

UNHCR’s role as a neutral and humanitarian actor was recognized for providing protection and lasting solutions for refugees.

The signatories reaffirmed their commitment to voluntary, safe, and dignified refugee returns as a foundation for lasting peace.

They agreed to continue technical meetings and reconvene at the ministerial level in six months to assess progress.

This tripartite cooperation marks a hopeful step toward healing a region long scarred by conflict and displacement.

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