Historic Peace Agreement Signed Amid Ongoing Conflict
In a ceremony at the newly renamed Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace in Washington D.C., Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi signed what U.S. officials are calling a 'historic' peace agreement on December 4, 2025. The signing, hosted by former President Donald Trump, aims to end decades of conflict between the two African nations that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced millions.
The Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity build upon an earlier agreement signed on June 27, 2025, and include commitments to cease hostilities, withdraw troops, and establish economic cooperation frameworks. 'After a long period of killing each other, they will now hug each other a lot,' Trump said in his characteristic style during the ceremony. 'They will hold each other's hands and economically benefit from the U.S., like every other country does.'
Economic Interests and Mineral Resources
Beyond the peace framework, the agreement includes significant economic components that have raised eyebrows among analysts. The United States signed separate bilateral agreements with both countries regarding access to rare earth minerals and critical resources. Congo possesses approximately 70% of the world's cobalt reserves, along with significant copper, lithium, and coltan deposits - minerals essential for electronics, electric vehicles, and defense technologies.
'There's a geopolitical battle going on over these minerals, and the U.S. is lagging behind rival China,' noted one diplomatic source familiar with the negotiations. American companies are now positioned to gain mining rights in both countries, marking a strategic shift in Washington's approach to securing critical supply chains away from Chinese dominance.
The M23 Elephant in the Room
Despite the celebratory atmosphere in Washington, fighting continued in eastern Congo's South Kivu province on the very day of the signing. The Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group, which captured the strategic city of Goma in January 2025, was notably absent from the negotiations and signing ceremony.
According to BBC reports, UN experts have documented up to 4,000 Rwandan troops fighting alongside M23 rebels, though Rwanda continues to deny direct involvement. The peace agreement requires Rwanda to withdraw support from M23 and for Congo to dismantle the FDLR militia, but neither condition has been met.
Elles van Gelder, Africa correspondent for NOS, provided crucial context: 'M23 was not present at the negotiating table, nor at the White House during the signing. The question now is to what extent Rwanda really has control over the rebel group and whether they will withdraw. There are still separate talks about this in Qatar between M23 and the Democratic Republic of Congo.'
Regional and International Involvement
The peace process involved multiple international actors beyond the United States. The African Union and Qatar played significant mediating roles over several months. Regional leaders including presidents from Togo, Angola, Burundi, Kenya, and representatives from Uganda and the United Arab Emirates attended the signing ceremony, signaling broad regional support for the initiative.
According to the U.S. State Department, the agreement also establishes a Regional Economic Integration Framework (REIF) designed to create a roadmap for peace, security, and unprecedented economic growth in the Great Lakes region.
Skepticism and Humanitarian Concerns
While the diplomatic achievement is being celebrated in Washington, skepticism runs deep among Congolese civilians and regional experts. The conflict has created one of the world's largest humanitarian crises, with over 6 million people displaced in eastern Congo alone.
'Civilians in the war zone have no confidence in the international community or their national government,' van Gelder explained. 'That's because they have been dealing with fighting for decades. The agreement also does not address violence against civilians or the prosecution of perpetrators. Therefore, I don't think there's much hope that real change will come.'
A Rwandan government spokesperson acknowledged the challenges ahead, telling reporters: 'We don't have a magic wand, so it will be a process.'
What Comes Next?
The immediate test will be whether the ceasefire holds and whether M23 rebels begin withdrawing from occupied territories. Parallel negotiations continue in Qatar between the Congolese government and M23 leadership, separate from the Washington agreement.
President Tshisekedi called the agreement a 'turning point,' while President Kagame acknowledged there would be 'ups and downs' in the implementation. For Trump, the agreement represents another foreign policy achievement as he positions himself for potential future political endeavors.
The coming weeks will reveal whether this Washington ceremony marks a genuine breakthrough or merely another chapter in the long, tragic history of conflict in Central Africa's Great Lakes region.