Former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has welcomed the US-brokered ceasefire in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The White House announced on Monday that the parties involved in the conflict in eastern DRC had agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire, which both the DRC and Rwanda supported.

Kenyatta, the facilitator of the East African Community-led Nairobi Peace Process, expressed hope on Tuesday that the ceasefire would be extended indefinitely to aid the peace-building process.


"H.E. President (Rtd) Uhuru Kenyatta welcomes the US-brokered ceasefire and hopes that it will be extended indefinitely in order to facilitate the peace-building process and to put an end to the senseless killing and suffering in the eastern DRC. Former President Kenyatta looks forward to the resumption of the Nairobi process and the final brokering of a lasting peace in the troubled region of the eastern Congo," Mr. Kenyatta's office said in a post shared on X.

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On Monday, White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said, "The U.S. Government will use its intelligence and diplomatic resources to monitor the activities by armed forces and non-state armed groups during the ceasefire."

Watson stated that fighting between armed forces and non-state armed groups ceased on Monday at noon to allow the withdrawal of troops occupying Mushaki and the RP1030 road.


While Rwanda's government spokesperson did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment, Congo President Felix Tshisekedi's spokesperson said she did not react.

Washington has previously urged Kinshasa and Kigali to de-escalate tensions amid an escalating humanitarian crisis along the border.

Congo accuses Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebel group, which Rwanda denies.

According to Reuters, M23 denied analyst reports that it violated a ceasefire agreement in November of last year.

According to a spokesman for the group, Monday's 72-hour ceasefire did not affect the M23 and was solely intended to prevent an escalation between Congo and Rwanda.