| The peace agreement in South Kivu Province has now held for over six months. It was initiated by a local organization of former combatants who abandoned fighting to work for peace. They convened a group of 88 citizens, including representatives of 21 armed groups, civil society leaders, and the Congolese government, to find a way to peace. On the fourth day of the meeting, the participants drafted and signed a peace agreement. The killing stopped! Subsequent meetings were held to pursue paths to sustainable peace. Community leaders are drawing up plans for new and existing business enterprises to provide productive employment for demobilized fighters, using modest funding from outside. The former soldiers are retaining their weapons to protect their villages from cross-border raids from neighboring countries. The armed groups are collaborating with local communities in this program. They, too are tired of fighting! The Carter School at George Mason University facilitated this initiative, funded by Milt Lauenstein. |
Peacemaking Success in DRC
June 7, 2022
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The peace agreement in South Kivu Province has now held for over six months. It was initiated by a local organization of former combatants who
