Around one hundred Belgo-Congolese demonstrators gathered outside the US Embassy in Brussels on Saturday to protest against the recent peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, signed on 4 December.
The protest was organised by Free Congo, an association that claims the agreement is not a peace deal but an economic pact facilitating the exploitation of the DRC’s natural resources.
The deal, negotiated by the United States and backed by Qatar, has failed to bring lasting peace, as violence continues in the DRC. Last week, the rebel group M23 captured Uvira, a city in eastern Congo.
Shortly after, M23 forces allegedly withdrew from Uvira “at the request of the US mediator,” according to a statement from the group.
Belgian Congolese communities worry the agreement will do little to improve the lives of the Congolese people. The region remains rich in minerals and resources, but Free Congo’s representative, Brenda Odimba, argues the agreement prioritises economic interests over the well-being of locals.
Speaking at the protest, Odimba claimed the partitioning of Congo began during Belgium’s colonial era, particularly following the assassination of former Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba. She criticised the “imperialist and neo-colonial nature” of the so-called peace agreement.
Odimba also called on Belgium to acknowledge its colonial legacy and urged Europe to lead efforts toward achieving a genuine peace agreement in the DRC.
