Washington, DC – December 5, 2025 – In a ceremony hailed as a potential turning point for one of Africa's most enduring conflicts, Presidents Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Paul Kagame of Rwanda signed the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity on Thursday, formalizing a US-brokered framework aimed at ending decades of violence in eastern Congo. Hosted by US President Donald Trump at the newly renamed Donald J. Trump Institute for Peace, the agreement builds on preliminary pacts signed earlier in the year and pledges troop withdrawals, economic integration, and joint efforts against armed militias. Yet, even as leaders exchanged signatures, reports of fresh clashes between Congolese forces and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels underscored the fragile path ahead.
"Today, we commit to stopping decades of violence and bloodshed, and to begin a new era of harmony and cooperation between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda," Trump declared ahead of the signing, flanked by Tshisekedi and Kagame in a White House East Room adorned with African Union and US flags. The president, who has positioned himself as a global dealmaker, praised both leaders as "great" and "courageous," predicting "very quick" troop withdrawals and "immediate results." He emphasized the US role in "settling a war that's been going on for decades," crediting hours of "backstage" talks at the White House that brought the historically acrimonious neighbors together.
The accords consolidate the Declaration of Principles from April 25, 2025; the core Peace Agreement inked by foreign ministers on June 27; and a Regional Economic Integration Framework initialed in November. Key provisions include Rwanda’s pledge to lift "defensive measures"—Kigali’s term for its military presence in eastern DRC—and withdraw forces, contingent on Kinshasa’s neutralization of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a Hutu militia comprising genocide perpetrators. The deal also mandates respect for territorial integrity, disarmament of non-state actors, and the safe return of over seven million displaced persons. Economically, it envisions integrated supply chains for DRC’s vast reserves of cobalt, coltan, copper, and lithium—minerals fueling global tech and green energy booms—while opening doors for US investment to bypass illicit trade networks.
Trump touted the economic angle as transformative, noting "tremendous wealth in that beautiful earth" and separate US-DRC pacts for direct mineral sourcing to curb exploitation. "But in the region that will support a lasting peace, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda have agreed to more closely integrate their economies with each other, rather than fighting," he said, linking stability to prosperity. Witnesses included African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Angolan President João Lourenço (AU peace champion), Kenyan President William Ruto, and Qatari officials, reflecting broad continental buy-in.
The eastern DRC conflict, often dubbed the world’s deadliest since World War II, traces its roots to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, when over 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were slaughtered by Hutu extremists. Fleeing perpetrators regrouped in Zaire (now DRC), launching cross-border raids that drew Rwanda into the First Congo War (1996–1997). Kigali, alongside Uganda and Burundi, backed Laurent-Désiré Kabila’s rebellion to oust dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, installing Kabila as president. Tensions boiled over into the Second Congo War (1998–2003), pitting Rwanda and Uganda against Kabila, Angola, Zimbabwe, and Namibia in a proxy quagmire that claimed up to six million lives—mostly civilians—from combat, famine, and disease.
Post-war, instability festered in North and South Kivu provinces, where over 100 armed groups vie for control amid ethnic strife and mineral riches. Rwanda’s involvement deepened, with UN experts documenting Kigali’s arming of Tutsi-led insurgents like the Rally for Congolese Democracy-Goma (RCD-G) and National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP) to secure borders and counter FDLR threats. The 2012 M23 uprising—named for a March 23, 2009, peace deal it claimed Kinshasa violated—saw Rwandan troops fight alongside rebels, capturing Goma before a UN offensive routed them in 2013. Accusations of Rwandan orchestration persisted, with experts citing recruitment, training, and logistics support.
M23’s 2022 resurgence escalated into the current crisis, with UN estimates of 4,000–12,000 Rwandan Defense Forces aiding advances that seized Goma in January 2025 and threatened Bukavu in February. The offensive displaced 700,000 more, compounding six million deaths and 7.3 million uprooted since 1996, per UN figures. Kinshasa accuses Kigali of resource plunder—DRC supplies 70% of global cobalt—while Rwanda insists its "defensive" incursions target FDLR genocide remnants, denying M23 backing. Burundi sent 12,000 troops (later reduced to 3,000) to aid DRC, while MONUSCO peacekeepers face accusations of bias.
Prior diplomacy faltered: Angola’s Luanda Process yielded a July 2024 ceasefire, quickly breached, and Kenya’s Nairobi talks stalled. Enter the Trump administration. In February 2025, Tshisekedi appealed directly to Trump, who dispatched envoys like Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Africa advisor Massad Boulos. Qatar mediated parallel M23-DRC Doha talks, producing a November framework. By June, foreign ministers signed the core peace accord in Washington, hailed by Rubio as a "comprehensive" breakthrough.
Thursday’s ratification, delayed from November amid implementation snags, unfolded against a grim backdrop. On Tuesday, FARDC and M23 traded blame for ceasefire violations near Goma, with drones and jets deployed—echoing Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe’s accusations of Kinshasa’s aggression. M23, absent from the accords, dismissed them as irrelevant without its input, vowing to hold captured territories. Analysts warn the deal’s FDLR focus sidesteps M23’s Tutsi grievances over discrimination and unfulfilled 2009 integration promises.
Tshisekedi struck a hopeful yet firm tone: "This is the beginning of a new path, a demanding path... We do not engage in trade with someone we fear." He conditioned integration on full RDF withdrawal and trust-building. Kagame, more optimistic, lauded Trump’s "pragmatic, even-handed" style for fostering "breakthroughs" after 30 failed mediations. "There will be ups and downs," he cautioned, but "we have the clearest path forward."
The African Union swiftly endorsed the accords. In a statement, Youssouf—present at the signing—called it a "significant milestone" for Great Lakes stability, thanking Trump’s "personal engagement" and Qatar’s "diplomatic backing." He urged "faithful implementation in letter and spirit" as a foundation for reconciliation, with the AU ready to support via regional mechanisms. "The African Union Commission stands ready to accompany the parties... for the benefit of the peoples of the DRC, Rwanda and the wider region."
International reactions mixed optimism with skepticism. UN Secretary-General António Guterres termed it a "significant step towards de-escalation," commending US-Qatar-AU synergy and invoking Resolution 2773. The UK Foreign Office echoed calls for compliance, while France pursued universal jurisdiction probes into war crimes. Critics, including former DRC President Joseph Kabila, decried it as "diplomatic theater" for excluding M23 and prioritizing US minerals access—echoing Trump’s Ukraine deals—over grassroots justice.
On the ground, humanitarian needs are dire. Eastern DRC hosts 1.7 million refugees and 7.3 million internally displaced, per UNHCR, with 25.5 million facing acute food insecurity. Sexual violence, child recruitment, and illicit mining persist, fueling a $1 billion annual conflict economy. Groups like the Africa Faith and Justice Network warn that without safeguards, "minerals for peace" risks perpetuating exploitation, urging oversight to ensure benefits reach communities.
Implementation hinges on Joint Security Coordination Mechanism meetings—latest in November—and Doha progress. A US-Rwanda economic framework complements the accords, promising shared prosperity. As Trump quipped, "It’s an amazing day for Africa," the true test lies in translating ink to action amid gunfire’s echo. For millions scarred by three decades of strife, hope flickers—but history demands vigilance.
