U.S. President Donald Trump is set to bring together the leaders of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Thursday to sign a peace agreement, which he will tout as his latest diplomatic achievement, despite escalating violence on the ground.
The meeting will take place at the newly renamed Donald J. Trump US Institute of Peace, shuttered previously as part of sweeping government cost-cutting measures. Trump will host Rwandan President Paul Kagame—whose forces have gained a decisive advantage in eastern DRC—and DRC President Felix Tshisekedi to formalize the deal.
The accord, coming more than five months after US-mediated talks between the countries’ foreign ministers, aims to reinforce a ceasefire, establish a framework for regional economic integration, and promote a “strategic partnership” on natural resources.
However, the timing of the agreement is complicated by ongoing fighting in eastern DRC, where the Rwandan-backed armed group M23 has captured territory in recent weeks, including parts of Goma and Bukavu. Local administrator Rene Chubaka Kalembire reported, “Many houses have been bombed, and there are many dead,” highlighting the continuing human cost of the conflict.
The long-simmering crisis reignited in January when M23 seized key cities, prompting mediation by Qatar. While a ceasefire was agreed upon in June, both sides have accused each other of violations.
DRC officials insist that the deal prioritizes peace on the ground before moving to economic cooperation. Presidential spokeswoman Tina Salama emphasized, “This isn’t selling out on minerals to the Americans. It’s not peace for minerals, as has been said.”
The DRC is rich in critical minerals, including cobalt—a vital component for electric vehicle batteries—and copper. Trump has repeatedly highlighted the strategic importance of Congolese minerals for the United States, aiming to secure resources that might otherwise go to China.
Rwanda, meanwhile, has conditioned the end of its “defensive measures” on Kinshasa neutralizing the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an ethnic Hutu group linked to the 1994 genocide.
Kagame has accused the DRC of delaying the signing, while DRC Communications Minister Patrick Muyaya countered that the continuing fighting demonstrates Rwanda’s lack of commitment.
The talks are also tied to broader US priorities, including Trump’s migration policies, with Rwanda previously agreeing to accept migrants—a plan initially linked to Britain that was later canceled under Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
As the leaders convene, the accord faces scrutiny over whether it can deliver lasting peace amid ongoing hostilities and complex regional dynamics.
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