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Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have formalized a peace accord in Washington, D.C., aiming to resolve decades of conflict between the two nations, with potential implications for U.S. access to valuable mineral resources.
The agreement calls for the “disengagement, disarmament, and conditional integration” of armed factions operating in eastern DR Congo.
While comprehensive details remain limited and previous regional peace initiatives have faltered, U.S. and Congolese leaders are portraying this agreement as a landmark achievement.
“Today, the violence and destruction comes to an end, and the entire region begins a new chapter of hope and opportunity,” stated U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday.
Speaking from the Oval Office, flanked by Vice-President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and representatives from DR Congo and Rwanda, Trump hailed the peace treaty as “a glorious triumph.”
“This is a tremendous breakthrough,” Trump remarked, prior to signing the accord, which had been previously signed by the African delegates.
The Congolese and Rwandan foreign ministers officially signed the deal at the U.S. State Department.
According to an official familiar with the agreement, “The Qataris played a vital role in securing this deal,” adding that the U.S. and Qatar collaborated closely.
“Another diplomatic success for President Félix Tshisekedi – certainly the most important in over 30 years,” stated the Congolese president’s office in anticipation of Friday’s signing.
Discussions have taken place regarding a potential meeting in Washington between Tshisekedi, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, and President Trump, although a date has not been confirmed.
The decades-long conflict intensified earlier this year with M23 rebels seizing control of significant portions of eastern DR Congo, including the regional capital, Goma, the city of Bukavu, and two airport facilities.
The recent rebel offensive has resulted in thousands of fatalities and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of civilians.
Following the territorial losses, the Kinshasa government sought assistance from the U.S., reportedly offering access to critical minerals in exchange for security assurances. Eastern DR Congo is rich in coltan and other resources crucial to the global electronics sector.
Rwanda denies supporting the M23, despite substantial evidence, maintaining that its military presence in the region is a defensive measure against threats posed by armed groups like the FDLR – a rebel militia largely composed of ethnic Hutus linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
Rwanda, in turn, accuses the Congolese government of supporting the FDLR, an allegation denied by DR Congo. The presence of the FDLR remains a primary concern for Kigali.
When preliminary details of the agreement were released last week, a statement mentioned “provisions on respect for territorial integrity and a prohibition of hostilities,” but lacked specific details.
The statement also addressed the “facilitation of the return of refugees and internally displaced persons.”
According to a Reuters report, Congolese negotiators initially sought an immediate withdrawal of Rwandan soldiers, but Rwanda, which reportedly has at least 7,000 troops stationed in Congolese territory, refused.
In a statement issued a day prior to the signing, Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe criticized “the leak of a draft peace agreement,” asserting that Rwanda had “demanded the other parties to respect the confidentiality of the discussions.”
The demand for a complete withdrawal of Rwandan troops from DR Congo remains a significant point of contention.
However, Nduhungirehe stated that “the words ‘Rwanda Defense Force’, ‘Rwandan troops’ or ‘withdrawal’ are nowhere to be seen in the document.”
Just hours before the signing ceremony, Tshisekedi’s office asserted that the agreement “does indeed provide for the withdrawal of Rwandan troops… [but] preferred the term disengagement to withdrawal simply because ‘disengagement’ is more comprehensive.”
Until full details of the signed agreement are publicly released, several critical questions remain unanswered:
Prior to Friday’s signing, Rwandan government spokeswoman Yolande Makolo informed Reuters that the “lifting of defensive measures in our border area” would be contingent upon the FDLR’s “neutralisation.”
The M23 rebels, a primary factor in the current conflict, originated from a previous peace agreement 16 years ago that failed to ensure demobilization.
Last year, Rwandan and Congolese experts reached two separate agreements under Angolan mediation regarding the withdrawal of Rwandan troops and joint operations against the FDLR. However, ministers from both countries failed to ratify the deal, leading Angola to withdraw as mediator in March.
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