Rwanda and DR Congo Sign U.S.-Brokered Peace Deal, Paving Way for Withdrawal and Economic Integration
Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) signed a peace agreement on Friday, brokered by the United States, raising hopes for an end to the ongoing conflict that has claimed thousands of lives and displaced hundreds of thousands in 2025 alone.
The accord represents a significant breakthrough facilitated by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. It also aims to unlock billions in Western investment for a region rich in critical minerals—including tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper, and lithium.
At a signing ceremony in Washington, D.C., U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio witnessed the agreement, which was signed by the foreign ministers of both nations. According to a copy reviewed by Reuters, the agreement commits Rwanda to withdraw its troops from eastern Congo within 90 days, and sets the stage for the launch of a regional economic integration framework in the same timeframe.
"They’ve been fighting for years—brutally, with machetes. It was one of the worst conflicts the world has seen," Trump said Friday ahead of the signing. "Now, we’re seeing peace. And for the U.S., we’re securing access to valuable mineral rights from the Congo. They never thought they’d be coming here."
Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe described the agreement as a historic turning point. His Congolese counterpart, Therese Kayikwamba Wagner, emphasized the need for rapid disengagement to ensure momentum.
Following the signing, Trump hosted both ministers in the Oval Office, presenting them with formal invitations for Presidents Félix Tshisekedi (DRC) and Paul Kagame (Rwanda) to attend a future summit in Washington to finalize a broader package of agreements dubbed the "Washington Accord" by Trump adviser Massad Boulos.
Nduhungirehe cautioned that previous peace deals had collapsed due to lack of follow-through and urged Trump to remain actively engaged. Trump warned that there would be "very severe penalties—financial and otherwise" if either party violated the terms.
Analysts and diplomats estimate Rwanda has deployed at least 7,000 troops into eastern Congo in support of the M23 rebel group, which this year seized major cities and mineral-rich territories in a rapid offensive. The conflict—an extension of regional instability rooted in the aftermath of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide—has heightened fears of a broader regional war.
Economic Framework in Focus
Boulos told Reuters in May that the U.S. intended for the peace deal and associated minerals agreements to be signed together this summer.
Rubio confirmed on Friday that the presidents of Rwanda and the DRC are expected in Washington within weeks to finalize the full protocol.
The newly signed agreement provides a 90-day window for both countries to establish a framework aimed at expanding foreign trade and investment tied to the region’s critical mineral supply chains. According to a source familiar with the matter, this economic framework will be signed during a separate summit hosted at the White House, although no date has yet been announced.
The agreement also ties in progress from ongoing negotiations in Doha, a parallel mediation process involving the Congolese government and M23 representatives. The success of those talks is seen as a prerequisite for the economic component’s implementation.
Additionally, the accord expresses “full support” for the Qatar-led peace dialogue and outlines steps for military de-escalation. Within 30 days, Congo and Rwanda will establish a joint security coordination mechanism and initiate the process—agreed upon in 2024—to verify the full withdrawal of Rwandan forces within three months.
At the same time, Congolese military operations targeting the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR)—a group with roots in the 1994 genocide and composed of former Rwandan military and militia elements—are set to conclude during the same three-month period.
