Democratic Republic of the Congo (MNN) — Conflict with neighboring Rwanda has been present in the DRC for decades. The struggle traces back to the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, when tens of thousands of Tutsis and Hutus fled Rwanda into the DRC. Today, it’s a multilayered conflict with dozens of militant groups in the DRC vying for control and resources. But today, peace between the nations and with one of the leading armed groups appears possible.
Secretary Marco Rubio hosts a Democratic Republic of the Congo-Rwanda Peace Agreement signing ceremony between Democratic Republic of the Congo Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner and Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe at the Department of State in Washington, D.C., June 27, 2025. (Official State Department photo by Freddie Everett. U.S. Department of State – Public Domain)
As nations, the DRC and Rwanda have signed and are slowly implementing a June 27 peace deal. In a separate, parallel dialogue, the DRC and the M23 rebel group believed to be backed by Rwanda also signed a peace accord on July 19. They have committed to adopting a final peace deal by August 18.
At least six truces in the DRC-M23 conflict have failed since 2021, according to a report from Al Jazeera. Yet according to TeachBeyond’s president, David Durance, one of their local school leaders says the peace accord has prompted hope that citizens have not felt for a decade.
“He said, ‘Somehow this does feel different, and there’s hope in our community,’” Durance shared.
The hope brought by the peace accord also boosted school attendance, helping TeachBeyond end the October-to-July school year well despite disruptions earlier this year. That’s what occurred back in January, when M23’s successful offensive in eastern DRC sparked protests in the capital, Kinshasa.
“There was unrest enough that families felt like it was unwise to bring their kids to school,” Durance said. “Anywhere [that] there’s unrest, kids are often the first that suffer.”
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“We’re praying that, by God’s grace and mercy, this would stick. That we would have a lasting peace, a peace that allows for this government to flourish in both the DRC and of course Rwanda, where this is all spilling out from,” said Durance.
Learn more about TeachBeyond’s mission to give Christ-centered education across the world here.
Header photo: This representative 2015 photo depicts Congolese soldiers on patrol in the Ituri district. (Wikimedia Commons)
