DR Congo, Rwanda Leaders to Visit Washington to Finalise US-Brokered Peace Deal

The presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda are expected in Washington next week to sign a US-brokered peace agreement aimed at easing tensions in eastern Congo, where renewed conflict has displaced hundreds of thousands.

Two diplomatic sources and Tina Salama, spokesperson for Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi, confirmed to Reuters that the meeting, scheduled for 4 December, will include talks with US President Donald Trump. Officials for Rwandan President Paul Kagame and the White House have not yet commented, though a White House official said last week that Washington “continues to work with both parties, and looks forward to welcoming them at the appropriate time.”

The summit is expected to ratify a peace deal first reached in June, along with a recently concluded Regional Economic Integration Framework. Salama noted that Tshisekedi welcomes regional cooperation but stressed that “respect for sovereignty is non-negotiable and a prerequisite for regional integration.”

Tensions remain acute in eastern Congo, where the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group captured two major cities this year, raising fears of a wider regional war. The fighting has killed thousands and forced massive displacement. UN experts reported in July that Rwanda maintains command and control over M23, a claim Kigali denies.

Under the earlier agreement, Congo and Rwanda were expected to implement joint security measures by the end of the year, including action against the FDLR militia and steps toward withdrawing Rwandan troops, but progress has been limited.

Washington hopes the peace process will help unlock billions of dollars in Western investment in a region rich in cobalt, copper, tantalum, lithium and other strategic minerals.

Qatar has also hosted separate talks between Kinshasa and M23, producing a framework for a potential settlement, though several key issues remain unresolved.

Speaking to Congolese diaspora members in Serbia, Tshisekedi confirmed he would travel to Washington and insisted that Rwandan forces must withdraw from eastern Congo before genuine regional economic integration can occur.