Rwandan President Paul Kagame expressed cautious optimism on Thursday about the eventual signing of a US-brokered peace agreement intended to resolve the protracted conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), even as repeated delays cast shadows over the process. Speaking at a press conference in Kigali, Kagame emphasized Rwanda’s readiness to proceed, attributing the holdups squarely to the Congolese side. “What is delaying, I can assure you, does not come from or relate to Rwanda,” he stated, underscoring Kigali’s patience amid what he described as external obstructions.
Media outlets, citing anonymous sources from DRC President Félix Tshisekedi’s office, reported earlier this week that Kagame and Tshisekedi are slated to convene in Washington, DC, in early December—potentially as soon as December 4—to ink the final accord. This meeting, mediated by the United States under the Trump administration, would formalize commitments from a preliminary deal signed by the two nations’ foreign ministers in June 2025. However, Kagame tempered expectations, noting, “I’m not sure that we are going to meet in Washington” on that timeline, reflecting ongoing uncertainties.
The anticipated summit builds on the Washington Accord, a framework agreement reached on June 27, 2025, which mandates a cessation of hostilities between Rwandan and Congolese forces, the neutralization of armed groups like the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), and enhanced economic cooperation in mineral-rich border regions. The accord also ties into parallel Doha-mediated talks between Kinshasa and the M23 rebel alliance, where a declaration of principles for a permanent ceasefire was signed in July 2025. US Senior Advisor Massad Boulos, appointed specifically for these negotiations, has described the M23 deal as the “last piece of the puzzle” for comprehensive regional stability.
Yet the path to this juncture has been fraught with setbacks. The leaders’ Washington meeting was initially slated for October 2025 but collapsed when Kinshasa raised last-minute objections over unresolved provisions, including the timeline for Rwandan troop withdrawals and FDLR disarmament. A rescheduled session on November 13 similarly failed to materialize, even though technical delegations from both sides initialed a Regional Economic Integration Framework (REIF) on November 7 covering energy, infrastructure, mining, tourism, and health. The fourth Joint Security Coordination Mechanism meeting in Washington on November 19-20 reviewed progress on intelligence sharing and FDLR defections but highlighted persistent challenges.
Kagame, addressing reporters for over two hours, reiterated Rwanda’s commitment while critiquing what he called “hypocrisy, double standards, and insensitivity” from external actors undermining the Washington and Doha processes. He placed the onus on regional stakeholders, particularly Kinshasa, to honor commitments rather than resorting to sanctions against Rwanda. “If you sanction Rwanda, how does it solve your problem? How does it solve the mismanagement of your country’s affairs?” Kagame remarked, pointing to DRC’s alleged integration of FDLR elements into its national army as a direct security threat to Kigali. Rwanda has long maintained that its actions in eastern DRC are defensive responses to FDLR incursions, a Hutu extremist group linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide perpetrators.
The eastern DRC conflict, simmering for nearly three decades, traces its roots to the 1994 genocide’s spillover, when Hutu militias fled into Congo, morphing into the FDLR and fueling cycles of ethnic violence. Kinshasa and the United Nations estimate the unrest has claimed thousands of lives and displaced over 7 million people since 2021, when the Tutsi-led M23—dormant since 2013—relaunched offensives in North and South Kivu provinces. M23, named after a 2009 peace accord it claims Kinshasa violated, accuses the DRC government of discrimination against Kinyarwanda-speaking communities and failing to protect them from FDLR attacks.
Accusations of Rwandan backing for M23 have intensified, with UN experts documenting 3,000 to 4,000 Rwandan Defense Forces troops operating alongside the rebels as of mid-2025. Kigali denies direct involvement, framing it as necessary countermeasures, but the claims have strained relations and drawn international condemnation. In January 2025, M23’s capture of Goma—a border hub of over 2 million people—marked a turning point, triggering clashes that killed 13 Southern African Development Community peacekeepers and prompting Burundi to bolster its 3,000 troops in the region. By February, M23 advanced on Bukavu, South Kivu’s capital, controlling vast mineral-laden territories estimated at over $1 billion in value, including coltan and gold.
The humanitarian toll is staggering. The UN reports over 300,000 people displaced in North Kivu alone since January, with M23 accused of parallel administrations, forced recruitment, and civilian abuses like killings and rape in occupied zones. Kinshasa blames Rwanda for enabling these atrocities, while Kigali counters that DRC’s alliances with FDLR exacerbate the chaos. UN Security Council Resolution 2773, adopted unanimously in early 2025, condemned M23’s offensives and demanded RDF withdrawal, but implementation lags.
Economically, the conflict’s stakes are immense. Eastern DRC holds 70% of global cobalt reserves and vast lithium deposits critical for electric vehicles, drawing US interest in countering Chinese dominance. The REIF aims to channel these resources into joint ventures, but critics argue it glosses over governance failures, with smuggling networks—including FDLR-linked ones—predating M23’s resurgence. Kagame highlighted this irony: “Long before M23, minerals were being looted under armed groups like FDLR,” urging Europe to address complicit networks rather than one-sided narratives.
Regional dynamics add layers of complexity. Uganda’s alleged M23 ties counter Rwanda’s influence, while Burundi fears spillover. The African Union and East African Community have pushed ceasefires, but Tshisekedi’s abstention from an EAC summit underscores fractures. Qatar’s Doha track, including prisoner exchanges, offers glimmers of hope, but UN experts question M23’s negotiation sincerity amid territorial consolidation.
Kagame’s optimism stems from a belief in diplomacy’s potential, but he warned of readiness for self-defense. “Until those concerned directly commit to stability, peace, and security, even the most powerful will remain wondering which way to go,” he said. As Togo prepares a January 2026 high-level summit on Great Lakes coherence, the December Washington date looms as a litmus test. Analysts caution that without addressing root causes—ethnic grievances, mineral governance, and FDLR threats—the accord risks becoming another stalled agreement in a region scarred by over 30 years of war.
For Congolese civilians in displacement camps near Goma, the rhetoric feels distant. “We’ve buried too many hopes,” said one refugee, echoing the UN’s call for immediate de-escalation. As winter approaches, the world watches whether Washington can finally quench the thirst for peace in a parched region—or if delays will only deepen the drought.
