Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are expected to sign a peace agreement in Washington on Friday aimed at ending a prolonged conflict in eastern DRC that has claimed thousands of lives.
However, serious doubts remain about the deal’s scope and effectiveness.
The accord, brokered with US support, has reportedly been championed by President Donald Trump, who has touted the diplomatic achievement and lamented his absence from the list of Nobel Peace Prize recipients.
Despite the political fanfare, critics have raised concerns over the lack of clarity in the agreement, particularly regarding its economic components. Analysts believe the Trump administration is seeking to outmanoeuvre China in the resource-rich region, with eastern DRC home to vast mineral reserves.
Tensions escalated in late 2021 when the M23 rebel group reignited its insurgency, capturing significant territory, including the strategically vital city of Goma earlier this year.
The DRC government accuses Rwanda of backing the Tutsi-led group—a claim supported by Washington but denied by Kigali.
Rwanda, in turn, has called for the dismantling of the FDLR, an armed group linked to Hutu perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
The foreign ministers of Rwanda and the DRC are set to sign the deal in Washington in the presence of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott.
The agreement, facilitated with assistance from Qatar and businessman Massad Boulos—Trump’s son-in-law’s father and newly appointed Africa adviser—promises respect for borders, a cessation of hostilities, and disarmament of all non-state armed factions.
The statement also refers to plans for deeper regional economic integration and a future summit in Washington involving Trump, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, and DRC President Félix Tshisekedi.
However, the agreement’s economic language has sparked controversy. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dr. Denis Mukwege, renowned for his advocacy against sexual violence in conflict zones, warned that the deal could be seen as rewarding aggression.
In a statement, Mukwege criticised the proposal as a mechanism to legitimise the exploitation of the DRC’s natural resources, suggesting that it sacrifices justice in favour of a fragile peace that benefits external actors.
On the eve of the signing, investigative outlet Africa Intelligence reported that the agreement would require Rwanda to pull back from its “defensive measures” and demand the DRC sever ties with the FDLR.
But Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe denied these claims on X (formerly Twitter), stating that the document contains no references to Rwandan troops or military withdrawal.
DRC’s Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, who visited Washington in April to advance the negotiations, has consistently insisted that Rwanda must withdraw from Congolese territory as part of any meaningful peace deal.
Both nations have been courting favour with Washington.
The DRC, rich in critical minerals such as cobalt and lithium essential for electric vehicles, has proposed a US investment framework modelled on Trump-era agreements.
Meanwhile, Rwanda is in talks to accept migrants deported from the United States—an initiative prioritised by Trump. A similar deal with the UK collapsed last year following the Labour Party’s election victory.
