The Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 rebel group, allegedly backed by Rwanda, have been in a violent conflict since the beginning of the year.
Concerned parties such as the African Union, Qatar, and the United States have since called for peace, with little to no progress recorded.
However, as reported by The Washington Times, on Thursday, Donald Trump met with the presidents of Rwanda and the DRC, Paul Kagame and Felix Tshisekedi, in Washington to sign a peace treaty they say will end a 30-year war.
The treaty had originally been signed in the White House back in June, but served as a preliminary peace deal, known as the Washington Accords.
According to the U.S president, the finalized peace deal establishes the parameters of the Washington Accords.
It contains provisions for refugees to return to their homes, a lasting truce, the disarmament of non-state actors, justice for those who have perpetrated “illegal atrocities,” and a new framework for economic growth.
“I have a lot of confidence in both leaders,” Donald Trump stated.
“We’ll keep these commitments. I know they’re going to keep them and follow through on the agreement and create a much brighter future for the people of their countries, and they’re heroes within their countries,” he added.
Following the signing, the United States went ahead to further its mineral deal with both Rwanda and the DRC, which the U.S president said will “unlock new opportunities for the United States to access critical minerals and provide economic benefits for everybody.”
To this effect, Donald Trump revealed that some of the “biggest and greatest companies” in the United States would be visiting both Eastern African countries.
“Everybody is going to make a lot of money,” Donald Trump stated.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame praised Mr. Trump as an “even-handed” leader who is “never taking sides.”
The Rwandan president lauded Trump for “immediately” taking the opportunity to bring peace to a region that “is far from the headlines.”
“As a result, we have the clearest and most viable path forward that we have ever had,” Paul Kagame stated.
History of the peace deal between the DRC and Rwanda
On July 31, Rwanda, which has been accused of backing the M23 rebels, and the DRC held their first Joint Oversight Committee meeting in Washington, a direct result of mediation efforts by Qatar and the US.
Earlier in March, Qatar hosted a new round of negotiations after DRC President Félix Tshisekedi attended a joint conference of Eastern and Southern African leaders in Tanzania in February, convened in response to escalating violence.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC) have attempted to mediate the conflict by appointing African leaders such as former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, and former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn to lead peace efforts.
On April 25, under the mediation of the United States, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo finally agreed to work towards peace.
