Washington, D.C. — Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Félix Tshisekedi arrived in the U.S. capital on Thursday to sign a U.S.-brokered peace accord aimed at ending decades of conflict in eastern Congo. The meeting, hosted by President Donald Trump, marks the most ambitious American-led attempt in years to stabilize one of Africa’s most volatile regions.
The accord builds on a June preliminary agreement and a November framework, focusing on troop withdrawals, militia disarmament, and cross-border economic cooperation. The latest push comes amid renewed violence by the M23 rebel movement, whose recent offensive displaced more than 100,000 people in November alone.
A Familiar Script in a New Setting
U.S. diplomats have described the summit as a “final push” toward lasting peace following the collapse of earlier African-led efforts, including Angola’s Luanda Process and Kenya’s Nairobi Talks. Those negotiations faltered amid mutual accusations, Kinshasa accused Rwanda of backing M23 rebels, while Kigali alleged the DRC was harboring members of the FDLR, a militia linked to perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
Trump has tied the peace initiative to U.S. economic interests, pledging investment in Congo’s cobalt industry, which supplies roughly 70% of global demand, and in Rwanda’s mineral refining capacity. The White House says the deal will help “de-risk supply chains” for electric vehicles and technology manufacturing.
Presidents Évariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi and William Ruto of Kenya are also in Washington to signal regional backing for the agreement. However, ongoing Qatar-sponsored talks with M23 representatives reveal divisions in the diplomatic strategy.
The Ground War That Never Stops
On the ground, the situation remains dire. The M23, a U.N.-sanctioned rebel group with alleged Rwandan command links, continues to hold Goma’s airport and major supply routes, clashing daily with Congo’s army and local Wazalendo militias.
The conflict has displaced over seven million people, while humanitarian groups report blocked aid convoys, targeted schools, and cholera outbreaks in overcrowded camps.
“We keep burying children while leaders sign in hotels,” said one teacher in Goma, expressing exhaustion over repeated peace efforts that collapse within days.
Voices from the Frontline
Local distrust runs deep. In Bukavu, traders report Rwandan goods flooding markets despite sanctions, while in Uvira, fishermen have fled alleged drone strikes blamed on Kigali. Activists insist that peace will remain elusive unless grassroots voices are included.
“Ituri women’s groups are still calling for land reforms ignored in these summits,” one activist said.
Kigali, for its part, has submitted evidence of 10,000 active FDLR fighters inside Congo, while Kinshasa has countered with satellite imagery showing Rwandan troop movements across the border.
Tests Ahead: Peace or More Promises?
The U.S.-brokered agreement faces immediate challenges. Analysts question whether the M23 rebels will cease hostilities before Christmas, whether aid can reach stranded civilians, and whether the FDLR can be disarmed without triggering further violence.
With U.N. sanctions looming and a key African Union summit approaching, the Washington accord will be tested not in diplomatic halls but in the war-ravaged provinces of North and South Kivu.
For millions of Congolese, the promise of peace remains fragile. As one Goma resident put it, “We’ve seen peace deals come and go — what we need now is peace that lasts.”
The central question remains: Can Trump achieve what countless African mediators could not—a genuine end to the Congo war?
