Trump brokers Congo-Rwanda deal but violence raises doubts over lasting peace

Congo president accuses Rwanda of breaking Washington peace deal

Donald Trump, United States president, has celebrated a new peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda as a historic victory for Africa and for his own claims to statesmanship. Yet the optimism on display in Washington stands in sharp contrast to the violence that continues to engulf eastern Congo.

Speaking at the newly renamed Donald J Trump Institute of Peace, Trump described the ceremony as “a great day for Africa and the world”. He praised Felix Tshisekedi, DR Congo’s president, and Paul Kagame, Rwanda’s president, as “very smart” leaders capable of delivering a brighter future for their people. “I have a lot of confidence in both leaders,” he said. “They are going to follow through on this agreement.”

Read also: Trump hosts DRC and Rwanda leaders to seal breakthrough peace deal

The Washington event was largely symbolic. The actual peace accord was negotiated in June when the foreign ministers of both countries signed what Trump hailed as a “glorious triumph” and a bold step towards finally halting the cycle of conflict in eastern Congo. At the summit, Tshisekedi and Kagame formally endorsed the agreement, joining leaders from Kenya, Angola, Burundi, Togo and Uganda’s vice president.

Kagame called Trump an “even handed” mediator who “never takes sides”. He said the pact offered “the clearest and most viable path forward that we have ever had”. Tshisekedi voiced “deep gratitude and clear hope”, but added a pointed reminder that he expected Rwanda to “respect the letter and spirit of the deal”.

Read also:DRC backs Pan-African visa-free travel campaign

The agreement requires Rwanda to stop supporting the M23 rebel movement, and obliges DR Congo to tackle Hutu militias accused of links to the 1994 genocide. Yet on the ground, fighting has persisted. In recent months M23 has continued to seize territory across eastern Congo with the backing of Rwandan forces, according to UN experts who say Rwanda’s army is in “de facto control of M23 operations”.

That ongoing violence threatens to undermine Trump’s effort to secure a diplomatic breakthrough while also opening economic doors for the United States. The region is rich in minerals such as cobalt, copper and tantalum that power modern technology.

At the ceremony, Trump said American companies would soon enter both countries. “We are going to take out the rare earth,” he told the audience. “Everybody is going to make a lot of money.”

For Washington and Doha, which have jointly coordinated the mediation, the hope is that stabilising relations between Kinshasa and Kigali will unlock investment opportunities and weaken the armed groups that have plagued the region for decades.

Read also:Congolese group condemns DRC-Rwanda deal, calls it “treason in disguise”

The stakes are enormous. DR Congo is estimated to hold mineral reserves worth 25 trillion dollars, making it one of the world’s most strategically important countries. Trump has openly argued that the United States should secure access to these resources, saying earlier in the year that America would obtain “a lot of the mineral rights from the Congo as part of it”.

Despite the fanfare in Washington, the reality in eastern Congo remains bleak. In the days leading up to the summit, clashes intensified as the Congolese army accused rebels of trying to “sabotage” the peace process. M23 commanders insisted instead that government forces launched new attacks in violation of the ceasefire.

Faith Omoboye is a foreign affairs correspondent with background in History and International relations. Her work focuses on African politics, diplomacy, and global governance.

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