Washinton DC: Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have signed an agreement pledging to respect each other’s sovereignty and work towards drafting a peace deal by 2 May.
The deal was signed by the foreign ministers of both countries during a ceremony in Washington, witnessed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The move comes amid a severe conflict in eastern DR Congo, where M23 rebels, reportedly backed by Rwanda, have seized large areas of the mineral-rich region, displacing hundreds of thousands of civilians.
Following significant territorial losses, the Congolese government in Kinshasa sought support from the United States, offering access to its valuable mineral resources in return.
The M23 rebels currently control Goma and Bukavu, the two largest cities in eastern Congo. Despite the new diplomatic efforts, fighting reportedly continued in North Kivu province.
The agreement mentions that both countries anticipate major investments facilitated by the US government and private sector as part of the peace efforts.
Earlier this week, both the DR Congo government and the M23 rebels expressed a commitment to achieving a permanent ceasefire, raising hopes for a lasting peace. Officials report that around 7,000 people have been killed in eastern DR Congo since January.
The decades-long conflict, driven by competition over rare minerals critical for mobile phones and other technologies, escalated sharply earlier this year with M23’s major offensive.
DR Congo accuses Rwanda of providing arms and troops to the M23 rebels, a claim supported by both the United Nations and the United States, but firmly denied by Rwanda.
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