Historic Washington Accord: Congo and Rwanda Leaders Set to Seal United States Brokered Peace Deal Amid Eastern Conflict

 KIGALI, Rwanda – December 4, 2025 – In a high-stakes diplomatic push to end one of Africa's most protracted and resource-fueled wars, Presidents Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Paul Kagame of Rwanda are poised to sign a landmark peace agreement in Washington, D.C., today, brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump. The ceremony, set at the newly rebranded Donald J. Trump United States Institute of Peace, caps months of intense U.S.-led mediation and builds on a preliminary accord inked by the nations' foreign ministers in June. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the event on Monday, hailing it as a "historic peace and economic agreement that [Trump] brokered," with the president himself expected to preside over the signing.

President of Democratic Republic of Congo Felix Tshisekedi is welcomed by President of Rwanda Paul Kagame with an official ceremony in Kigali, Rwanda on June 25, 2021.

 Accompanying the leaders are delegations focused not just on ceasefires but on unlocking the region’s vast mineral wealth—cobalt, coltan, lithium, and tantalum essential for global tech and green energy supply chains—while addressing long-standing accusations of Rwandan backing for the M23 rebels who control large parts of eastern Congo.

Tshisekedi and Kagame arrived in the U.S. S. capital on Wednesday, joined by Kenyan President William Ruto and Qatari officials who co-mediated earlier rounds. The agreement’s ratification, alongside a Regional Economic Integration Framework finalized last month, is being described by Congolese officials as a "historic opportunity" to halt the brutality in the DRC’s east, where violence has killed thousands and displaced over seven million people since the M23 resurgence in 2021. Presidential Spokesperson Tina Salama told reporters in Washington that the deal "reaffirms Congo’s full sovereignty over its territory, as well as its exclusive control over the exploitation and processing of minerals. There is no sell-off." She stressed its potential to "put an end to the decades-long armed conflict, stabilize the affected provinces, and revitalize local economic activity."

The path to this moment began in February 2025 when Tshisekedi wrote to Trump requesting U.S. mediation. Trump appointed his Africa advisor Massad Boulos to lead talks, culminating in an April "Declaration of Principles" and the June 27 "Washington Accord" signed by the two foreign ministers in the Oval Office. That accord committed Rwanda to withdraw troops within 90 days, M23 to disengage from combat, and both sides to neutralize armed groups including the FDLR Hutu militia. Trump personally hailed it as a "glorious triumph."

Implementation, however, has been rocky. Fighting continued through the summer and fall, with M23 consolidating control over mining areas and trade routes while establishing a parallel administration in captured territories. Recent clashes near Kamanyola and in South Kivu highlight ongoing violations. Congolese Communications Minister Patrick Muyaya said the renewed violence was "proof that Rwanda doesn’t want peace," but expressed confidence that Washington now has the leverage to enforce compliance, including full withdrawal of Rwandan forces and an end to any support for M23.

From Kigali’s perspective, government spokesperson Yolande Makolo told international media the deal represents "the best chance for peace, stability, and prosperity" in the region, though she described Rwanda’s optimism as cautious. She emphasized that lasting peace also requires Kinshasa to dismantle the FDLR, which Rwanda views as an existential threat.

The conflict’s roots stretch back to the 1994 Rwandan genocide and the subsequent Congo wars that killed millions. The current phase erupted in late 2021 when M23—widely regarded by the UN, United States, and European Union as backed by Rwanda—launched a major offensive, capturing Goma and Bukavu earlier this year. Rwanda has consistently denied providing troops or arms to the rebels.

At its core, the accord ties security to economics. The Democratic Republic of the Congo sits on an estimated $24–25 trillion in untapped critical minerals, the majority of which currently flow through Chinese-controlled supply chains. The Trump administration has made clear that American companies are eager to invest in mining, processing, and infrastructure, but only in a stable environment. Congolese officials insist any future partnerships will be on Kinshasa’s terms, with value-added processing inside the DRC and no surrender of sovereign control.

Civil society and opposition voices in Congo remain skeptical. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Denis Mukwege has criticized the framework as overly favorable to Rwanda and silent on accountability for war crimes. Residents in Goma and surrounding areas say daily life is still dominated by checkpoints, extortion, and sporadic fighting. Many fear the Washington ceremony will change little on the ground unless accompanied by robust verification mechanisms and sanctions for non-compliance.

Regional leaders appear more hopeful. The presence of Kenya’s President Ruto underscores East African Community support, while Qatar’s quiet co-mediation role has helped keep M23 engaged in parallel Doha talks with Kinshasa.

As the signing ceremony approaches, the mood in Washington is one of guarded celebration mixed with realism. For the millions displaced in eastern Congo, for the miners working in dangerous artisanal pits, and for global industries dependent on the region’s cobalt and coltan, today’s agreement is being watched as either the long-awaited turning point—or another false dawn in a conflict that has defied resolution for three decades.