Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo signed a U.S.-brokered peace agreement Friday, raising hopes for an end to a brutal conflict.
The fighting has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands in the mineral-rich eastern Congo region this year alone.
At a ceremony in Washington, the two countries’ foreign ministers sealed a deal pledging Rwanda’s troop withdrawal within 90 days.
The agreement also includes launching a regional economic integration framework to boost trade and investment within three months.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio witnessed the signing, underscoring America’s role in brokering the fragile peace.
President Trump hailed the deal as a major breakthrough in ending one of Africa’s bloodiest wars, calling it “one of the worst” conflicts ever seen.
He emphasized the U.S. would gain significant mineral rights from Congo, a prize for global industries reliant on cobalt, lithium, and gold.
Rwandan forces backed the M23 rebels, who seized key eastern cities and mines earlier this year, sparking fears of wider regional war.
The decades-old conflict traces back to the 1994 Rwandan genocide and has long fueled violence and instability in the Great Lakes region.
Both foreign ministers described the agreement as a turning point, with Congo demanding the full disengagement of Rwandan troops.
A joint security mechanism and troop withdrawal monitoring will be set up within 30 days to ensure compliance.
Meanwhile, ongoing talks in Qatar with M23 remain crucial before the economic framework’s full launch, sources say.
Analysts caution past agreements have faltered, placing heavy responsibility on the U.S. to enforce terms and maintain peace.
This accord offers fragile hope for healing a region long scarred by conflict and rich in resources coveted worldwide.
