The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on 3 December conducted a high-level press briefing in Washington, DC, ahead of the scheduled signing of a pivotal peace and economic agreement with Rwanda.
Speaking to reporters at a discreet, wood‑panelled ballroom steps from Washington’s diplomatic core, DRC Minister of Communication, Patrick Muyaya and DRC Presidential Spokesperson Tina Salama articulated Kinshasa’s strategic priorities within the framework brokered by the United States — a move aimed at fostering stability across the Great Lakes region. “DRC must be at the centre of everything being done on these agreements,” said Salama.
“First, Rwanda needs to withdraw its troops,” the DRC government representatives said.
Muyaya stressed that the forthcoming signing is a formal elevation of the June framework agreement — already ratified by the foreign ministers of the DRC and Rwanda — now lifted to the Heads of State level. This dual-track strategy combines interstate commitments made in Washington with Doha-led mechanisms targeting armed group disarmament, designed to synchronize political resolve with operational enforcement.
Central to the briefing was the imperative to break the entrenched cycle of violence spanning three decades. Muyaya underscored the urgency of Rwanda’s troop withdrawal and effective management of armed factions operating in eastern Congo. The restoration of full Congolese sovereignty over mineral-rich provinces was highlighted as essential to dismantling illicit resource exploitation networks that perpetuate conflict. Equally significant was the emphasis on attracting legitimate investment and fostering job creation, anchored by a bilateral agreement formally committing the United States to support peacebuilding and governance efforts.
Salama told reporters what this deal is not — it’s not exchanging DRC minerals for a peace guarantee with the US; it’s not sharing DRC minerals with its aggressor for peace; it’s not giving up a single centimetre of DRC land; and it’s not surrendering any aspect of DRC sovereignty.
Muyaya reiterated the framework agreement signed in June by the foreign ministers of both countries. He explained that what will be signed at the 4 December peace ceremony is essentially the same framework, but now at the Heads of State level — that no one should think the DRC is coming to sign anything new or unknown. He also talked about the bilateral agreement between the US and the DRC, which ties both countries’ interests together and commits the US side accordingly.
Defence commentators noted the officials’ transparent engagement on critical issues including compliance verification and the complex dynamics of proxy militias. With President Donald J Trump set to host the signing ceremony alongside DRC and Rwandan presidents, the event represents a decisive moment in US strategic engagement in Africa. Analysts will watch closely to evaluate whether the mechanisms embedded in the agreement can deliver on enforcement, disrupt proxy conflicts, and sever illicit economic networks that have long undermined regional stability.
“Without peace there’s no investment,” Salama said. Peace has to start somehow, they explained.
Pearl Matibe is a Washington, DC-based geopolitical analyst and correspondent with expertise in foreign policy and international security, regularly covering the Pentagon and White House. Follow her on X (Twitter): @PearlMatibe.
