Congo-Kinshasa: DR Congo and Rwanda On Brink of Historic U.S.-Brokered Peace Deal

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda plan to sign a landmark truce agreement in Washington on Friday, marking a potential turning point after decades of conflict in eastern Congo. The US-brokered deal aims to halt hostilities and pave the way for deeper economic cooperation between the two neighbours.

Sources close to the talks said the agreement, due to be signed by the Rwandan and Congolese foreign ministers, covers the two main pillars of security and economic cooperation.

This is the most ambitious plan yet to end an ongoing crisis that has killed millions and forced many more from their homes.

At the heart of the deal lies a pledge by Kinshasa and Kigali to cease all hostilities – direct or indirect – and to resolve disputes through peaceful means.

Both sides also commit to ending support for armed groups, with particular reference to the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and the March 23 Movement (AFC/M23).

The deal builds on an earlier agreement signed in Luanda in October 2024. It sets out steps to find and disarm FDLR fighters. Options include voluntary returns or joint operations by Congolese and Rwandan troops.

While the AFC/M23 is not included in the main text, officials emphasise that its fate will be handled through a parallel political dialogue already under way in Doha, Qatar.

A joint monitoring team with members from the DRC, Rwanda and the mediators will track whether both sides stick to the deal.

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Economic integration and US interests

On top of the security plan, the draft deal lays out a three-part economic strategy to help stabilise the region and tie it closer to US interests.

First, it calls for more cooperation between Kinshasa and Kigali on hydro power, national parks and the legal trade of minerals. The aim is to build clear supply chains “from the mine to the refined metal”.

Second, the deal pushes for stronger regional links through groups like the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, the East African Community and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa.

These bodies should help boost trade, draw in investors and stop smuggling. Audits will check that things stay transparent.

Third, the United States is expected to step up its role to secure access to critical minerals for green and tech industries. This includes resources not just in North Kivu and South Kivu but also other provinces.

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‘Fundamentally an economic war’

Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi welcomed the American role in an interview this week and praised the involvement of President Donald Trump..

“There’s nothing magical about this agreement,” Tshisekedi said. “It is the result of a realisation within the American administration about a conflict that has lasted for nearly 30 years and caused millions of deaths.”

He underscored the dual nature of the conflict: “First, we must end the war and obtain the unconditional withdrawal of armed groups. But beyond that, this is fundamentally an economic war.”

Tshisekedi also acknowledged Trump’s direct role, including the appointment of Dr Massad Boulos as lead envoy and the backing of both Qatar and the African Union.

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Fragile steps forward

Despite the hopeful tone, Professor Tshibangu Kalala, an expert in international law at the University of Kinshasa, doubts Rwanda’s commitment.

“Rwanda does not respect its own signature,” he said, recalling a failed 2004 agreement. “Today, Rwanda is doing exactly the opposite of its commitments from 2004.”

He further criticised the agreement’s failure to address justice for past atrocities, pointing to the unresolved issue of reparations for victims of Rwandan military operations in Kisangani and other parts of eastern DRC.

“A peace agreement is being sought. But we are not talking about massacres, about the destruction of human lives, of material goods caused by Rwanda,” he told RFI.

“Do these victims have the right to reparation, to compensation or not? We are not talking about it. There is no peace without justice.”

Political analyst Christian Moleka said US involvement gives the deal more weight.

“The particularity is the involvement of the United States and its capacity to impose this roundtable, which African solutions couldn’t achieve,” he said.

He pointed to the diplomatic and economic clout of the US and Qatar, which succeeded where African-led talks failed.

“Previous solutions did not emphasise the economic elements. We know that the US is interested in securing the supply of critical materials and so this economic interest dimension gives weight to American diplomacy,” he said.

By RFI