The President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, claims to believe in the willingness of his counterparts Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Paul Kagame of Rwanda to do everything possible to honor the commitments outlined in the Washington agreements. Donald Trump made this known on Thursday, December 4, during the endorsement of this document, which had already been signed at the ministerial level in Kinshasa and Kigali.
“I have great confidence in both leaders. They will honor their commitments; I know it, and they will implement the agreement to create a much better future for their peoples. And they are heroes in their countries because of today. This is great news. And everyone is talking about it. All the news broadcasts are making it their headline. And they are heroes. And we want it to stay that way,” said American President Donald Trump.
For Donald Trump, this document marks the commitment of his country to end a long cycle of violence in Eastern DRC.
“We came to the U.S. Institute of Peace to sign a historic agreement that will end one of the world’s oldest conflicts, with over 10 million deaths. Today, we commit to putting an end to decades of violence and bloodshed and to opening a new era of harmony and cooperation between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. I want to thank the two brave leaders. They are courageous leaders. They are truly courageous leaders, remarkable men,” stated Donald Trump, President of the United States of America.
He continued:
“President Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and President Kagame of Rwanda are extraordinary. They told me absolutely incredible stories. Really fascinating in many ways. Sad and beautiful. Both sad and beautiful. And today makes them beautiful. I just had excellent meetings with both of them, as well as representatives from other countries, during which we discussed the importance of respecting this new agreement. A very detailed and powerful agreement.”
In this same vein, the United States signed bilateral agreements with both countries, offering Donald Trump’s country access to critical minerals. “Today, the United States is also signing its own bilateral agreements with Congo and Rwanda, which will open new opportunities for the United States to access critical minerals and provide economic benefits for everyone. And we will send some of our largest companies to both countries. And we will extract some of the rare earths, tap into some of those resources, and pay. Everyone will make a lot of money. These are just two of the many new agreements related to mining supply chains that my administration has concluded this year, including with Australia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, South Korea, and many other countries. With all these agreements, we are forging new economic security partnerships that protect the interests of America and our friends,” emphasized Donald Trump, President of the United States.
President Donald J. Trump presided over the signing of the Washington Agreements for Peace and Prosperity between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Republic of Rwanda. This “historic” instrument, according to the U.S. State Department, reaffirms the commitments made to end decades of conflict, promote economic cooperation, and lay the foundations for sustainable peace. The Washington Agreements reaffirm the commitment of both parties to implement the Peace Agreement between the DRC and Rwanda, concluded in Washington, D.C., on June 27, 2025, as well as to realize the vision of the Regional Economic Integration Framework (REIF), to create an ambitious roadmap for peace, security, and unprecedented economic growth.
The DRC and Rwanda also signed the Regional Economic Integration Framework (REIF), an innovative bilateral initiative aimed at unlocking the vast economic potential of the Great Lakes region and creating new opportunities for the American private sector. President Félix Tshisekedi signed on behalf of the DRC government, while President Paul Kagame signed on behalf of the Rwandan government. The signing ceremony was attended by Togolese President and President of the Council of Ministers Faure Gnassingbé, Angolan President João Lourenço, Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye, Kenyan President William Ruto, African Union President Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Ugandan Vice President Jessica Alupo, Qatari Minister of State Mohammed Al Khulaifi, and Emirati Minister of State Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan.
Qatari mediation is another essential component of the diplomatic framework. A framework agreement was signed between Kinshasa and the AFC/M23, but its content remains largely to be negotiated. On the ground, nothing has genuinely changed: positions remain frozen, the front lines remain active, and no confidence measures have been implemented. The juxtaposition of the two processes in Washington and Doha illustrates the complexity of the case: on one side, an inter-state mediation; on the other, a direct politico-military negotiation with the rebellion.
Kivu News Today
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