The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Burundi have reaffirmed their bilateral military cooperation, with defense ministers pledging to intensify joint operations against rebel movements and other armed groups threatening stability along their shared border.
The commitment came during the 18th Ordinary Session of the African Union’s Specialized Technical Committee on Defense, Safety and Security (CTSDSS), held in Bujumbura on September 15–18, according to Radio Ocapi. The four-day Bujumbura session brought together experts, chiefs of defense, and ministers to review Africa’s political and security landscape and strengthen conflict-prevention mechanisms under Agenda 2063.
Congolese Defense Minister Guy Kabombo Muadiamvita and his Burundian counterpart, Marie-Chantal Nijimbere, discussed reinforcing the alliance between the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC) and Burundi’s National Defense Force (FDNB), particularly through more robust cross-border coordination against “negative forces” operating in the porous frontier region.
Both armies face recurring security flashpoints, and officials said closer intelligence-sharing and synchronized patrols are now priorities.
Speaking at the ministerial session on September 18, Kabombo reiterated the urgent need for an African-led response to persistent insecurity in eastern DRC, where fighting between Congolese forces and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels has continued despite multiple ceasefire frameworks.
He stressed respect for the DRC’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, and called for strict implementation of the ceasefire.
The Congolese minister also pressed for the effective implementation of commitments made under the Doha and Washington peace processes, which aim to neutralize armed groups such as the FDLR and secure Rwanda’s disengagement from contested areas.
Recent assessments indicate that key obligations, FDLR neutralization and the lifting of defensive measures along the border, remain unfulfilled more than a year after the agreements were signed. In this context, the Congolese minister urged full execution of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2773, the first explicit UNSC text in two decades to directly name Rwanda as a party to the conflict in eastern Congo.
