Subject-specific meetings

Specialist meetings. This meeting can be attended by the two NADEUM members André and Kiza if they can spare two hours on Sunday at 3 p.m. The topic is the DRC Peace Roadmap, the upcoming peace negotiations by US President Trump, who wants to propose a peace plan to the warring parties in eastern Congo that will benefit everyone, especially Rwanda and the DRC.

Meeting: 3 p.m. Eastafrica Time till 5 p.m

Rwanda and Congo sign peace agreement [R-DRC]

Investigation by the USA: Rwanda and Congo sign peace agreement

The foreign ministers of Rwanda and Congo have signed an agreement in the USA. Apparently, Rwandan troops are to be withdrawn from eastern Congo within 90 days.

28 June 2025, 2:57 a.m. Source: ZEIT ONLINE, AFP, dpa, Reuters, as

Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe (left) and the Foreign Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner (right), have signed a peace agreement. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was present in Washington, D.C. © Mark Schiefelbein/AP/dpa

Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have signed a peace agreement in the United States. Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe and his Congolese counterpart Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner signed the agreement on Friday in Washington, D.C., in the presence of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In it, both countries commit to ending their support for armed militias. According to the Reuters news agency, citing a copy of the report, Rwandan troops are to be withdrawn from eastern Congo within 90 days.

The agreement enters into force immediately. According to official statements, it contains provisions on respect for territorial integrity, a ban on hostilities, and the withdrawal, disarmament and integration of non-state armed groups. In addition, the return of refugees and internally displaced persons is to be facilitated and humanitarian access to the conflict area enabled.

The core of the peace agreement is the decision to establish a permanent joint mechanism for security coordination between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, said Rwanda’s foreign minister. It was also decided to strengthen economic cooperation, including with American companies and investors. Congo’s foreign minister said the agreement must now be followed by a withdrawal of troops.

Trump delighted with raw materials deal with Congo

US Secretary of State Rubio said after the signing that the agreement would give people ‘dreams and hopes for a better life’. However, the work is not yet complete.

US President Donald Trump expressed his satisfaction, as the United States benefits from its role as mediator by simultaneously concluding mineral deals that will, according to Trump, give it a large share of the mineral rights in the Congo in the future. The US president warned of ‘very severe penalties, both financial and otherwise’ if the peace agreement is violated.

The Rwandan-backed M23 militia had occupied large areas in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo since January, including the provincial capitals Goma and Bukavu. The Congolese government accused Rwanda of directly supporting the M23 militia with soldiers and of wanting to exploit the mineral resources of its eastern provinces of North and South Kivu. Rwanda rejected this and in turn accused the Congolese government of supporting the rebel group FDLR.

Thousands of people killed

According to UN figures, thousands of people were killed in the conflict. In April, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo then surprisingly agreed to a ceasefire and held out the prospect of a peace agreement brokered by Qatar, the US and the African Union.

The agreement does not explicitly mention the M23 militia. However, Rwanda is called upon to end its ‘defensive measures.’ The agreement also provides for the ‘neutralisation’ of the FDLR.

The Foreign Office in Berlin described the agreement on X as an ‘important step towards peace’ in the region. It said it was crucial that the key points be implemented by both sides: recognition of the territorial integrity of both countries, an end to the fighting and the ‘neutralisation’ of armed groups in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

‘Trump deserves the Nobel Prize’: Will the US president now bring peace to eastern Congo?

On Friday, Congo and Rwanda are set to sign a peace agreement that could end a conflict lasting more than a quarter of a century. The agreement was brokered by Qatar and Donald Trump’s US administration, which hopes to gain access to the region’s abundant natural resources.

Congo and Rwanda sign peace agreement

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda have signed a peace agreement in the US capital Washington. It is intended to end the fighting in eastern Congo, which has been smouldering there for decades. Congo’s Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner and her Rwandan counterpart Olivier Nduhungirehe expressed their gratitude to US President Donald Trump, who personally championed the agreement.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke of an ‘important moment’ after decades of conflict. The conflict had escalated since January this year. In the resource-rich east of the Congo, the Rwandan-backed rebel group M23 had taken the city of Goma and neighbouring towns and villages. The rebels set up their own administrations in the areas they had captured. As a result of mediation efforts by the US and Qatar, Rwanda and Congo then agreed on a declaration of principles in April.

The agreement enters into force immediately. According to official statements, it contains provisions on respect for territorial integrity, a ban on hostilities, and the withdrawal, disarmament and integration of non-state armed groups. In addition, the return of refugees and internally displaced persons should be facilitated and humanitarian access to the conflict area enabled, it said.

The core of the peace agreement is the decision to establish a permanent joint mechanism for security coordination between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, said Rwanda’s foreign minister. It was also decided to strengthen economic cooperation, including with American companies and investors. Congo’s Foreign Minister emphasised that peace is a decision, but also a commitment to uphold human rights and the sovereignty of states.

UN: Fighting has driven hundreds of thousands from their homes since the beginning of the year

According to the UN, more than half a million people have fled the fighting since the beginning of the year, while hundreds have been killed and thousands injured. According to estimates by the World Food Programme (WFP), nearly eight million people are currently facing food insecurity in the eastern provinces affected by the conflict.

Some of the world’s rarest and most valuable metals are mined in large quantities in eastern Congo, including tantalum, gold, nickel, cobalt and copper. Tantalum, for example, is essential for the manufacture of laptops, smartphones and batteries for electric vehicles.

Summary

According to the UN, more than 500,000 people have fled eastern Congo since the beginning of the year, while nearly eight million are affected by food insecurity.
The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda have signed a peace agreement in Washington that aims to end decades of fighting in eastern Congo and respect territorial integrity.
The agreement, brokered by the US and Qatar, provides for the withdrawal, disarmament and integration of non-state armed groups and the establishment of a joint security mechanism.

SN.AT / Politics / World politics

Congo and Rwanda sign peace agreement

IMAGE: SN/APA/AFP/MANDEL NGAN

The foreign ministers of the DRC and Rwanda with their US counterpart Rubio

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke of an ‘important moment’ after decades of conflict. The conflict had escalated since January this year. In the resource-rich east of the Congo, the Rwandan-backed rebel group M23 had captured the city of Goma and neighbouring towns and villages. The rebels set up their own administrations in the areas they had captured. As a result of mediation efforts by the US and Qatar, Rwanda and the Congo then agreed on a declaration of principles in April.

What the agreement provides for

The core of the peace agreement is the decision to establish a permanent joint mechanism for security coordination between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, Rwanda’s foreign minister said. It was also decided to strengthen economic cooperation, including with American companies and investors. Congo’s foreign minister emphasised that peace was a decision, but also an obligation to uphold human rights and the sovereignty of states.