Presidents of Congo and Rwanda Set to Forge Breakthrough Peace Accord in Washington, According to Confidential Reports
The leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda are scheduled to journey to Washington next week to endorse a new peace accord and confer with U.S. President Donald Trump, according to three individuals familiar with the matter who spoke to Reuters. The initiative is part of Washington’s renewed effort to mediate stability in conflict-scarred eastern Congo and draw greater Western investment into the region’s lucrative mining sector.
Two diplomatic insiders, along with Tina Salama, spokesperson for Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi, confirmed that the gathering is slated for December 4.
Representatives for Rwandan President Paul Kagame, as well as the White House, did not immediately respond to Friday requests for comment. However, a U.S. official told Reuters last week that the Trump administration “remains engaged with both sides and anticipates welcoming them to the White House when the moment is appropriate.”
Tensions escalated sharply this year when the Rwanda-aligned M23 rebel movement surged across eastern Congo, capturing the region’s two major cities and igniting fears of a broader conflict that could pull in neighboring states. The latest wave of violence has claimed thousands of lives and forced hundreds of thousands of civilians to flee.
STALLED PROGRESS DESPITE SIGNED AGREEMENTS
Next week’s talks are expected to reinforce a U.S.-facilitated peace pact concluded in June and endorsed by the foreign ministers of both nations, along with a Regional Economic Integration Framework finalized earlier this month. According to Salama, the two presidents are anticipated to formally ratify both documents.
“The president has consistently advocated for deeper regional cooperation, but sovereignty remains non-negotiable and must be upheld for any integration to succeed,” she emphasized.
The Trump administration has repeatedly signaled its intention to mobilize billions of dollars in Western capital into a region endowed with tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper, lithium, and other strategic minerals.
In September, Congo and Rwanda agreed to carry out the security provisions outlined in the June accord by year’s end. These commitments involve joint operations to dismantle the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a rebel faction based in Congo, and to pave the way for the withdrawal of Rwandan forces.
Yet, tangible progress remains limited. Rwanda denies any role in directing M23, though a United Nations panel of experts reported in July that Kigali maintains command authority over the group.
Qatar has hosted separate negotiation tracks between Congo and M23, leading to a preliminary framework for a future peace settlement earlier this month, though key terms remain unresolved.
President Tshisekedi, addressing Congolese expatriates in Serbia, affirmed that he plans to travel to Washington, according to a statement posted by his office on X on Friday. However, he reiterated that genuine regional economic integration cannot occur unless Rwandan troops pull out of eastern Congo.
Source: Araba Sey
