The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has said that a new US-brokered agreement with Rwanda, which is set to be signed in Washington, DC, on Thursday, represents a historic opportunity to end the brutal conflict in eastern Congo.
DRC President Felix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, arrived in the US on Wednesday to finalise a peace agreement aimed at moving forward with a US-brokered peace deal reached in June.
Tshisekedi's spokesperson Tina Salama told reporters in Washington ahead of the signing ceremony that the two leaders are expected to ratify the final agreement as well as the Regional Economic Integration Framework that was negotiated last month.
Thursday's meeting concludes months of diplomatic efforts spearheaded by US President Donald Trump.
"The agreement reaffirms DRC's full sovereignty over its territory, as well as its exclusive control over the exploitation and processing of minerals. There is no sell-off," Salama said.
She emphasised that the agreement is expected to put an end to the decades-long armed conflict in the country's east, stabilise the affected provinces, and revitalise local economic activity.
‘The best chance for stability and prosperity’
DRC Communication Minister Patrick Muyaya stated that bringing peace to the country remains the common denominator in all mediation efforts by Qatar and the US.
According to Muyaya, the end of all hostilities, including the withdrawal of all foreign forces present on Congo's territory, is the most important factor in achieving peace.
Separately, Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo said that her government is "cautiously optimistic" that the deal will work, US news network NewsMax reported.
She said the agreement is extremely important and represents "the best chance for peace, stability, and prosperity" for the two countries and the region.
Violence has raged in eastern DRC for decades, killing thousands and displacing millions, according to Kinshasa and UN figures.
The conflict erupted in 2021, when the M23 rebel group resurfaced and launched an offensive against the Congolese government forces.
The UN, Kinshasa, and others accuse neighbouring Rwanda of supporting the M23, which Kigali denies.
