The agreement signed by the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda to end the conflict in eastern DRC “opens the way to a new era of stability”, Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi said on Monday.
Rich in natural resources, particularly minerals, eastern Congo has been plagued by successive conflicts for 30 years. In recent months, violence has intensified in this region bordering Rwanda, with the capture of the major cities of Goma and Bukavu by the anti-government M23 group, backed by Kigali and its army.
Following the failure of several attempts at negotiations between the DRC and Rwanda, and the launch by Qatar of a mediation process still underway between Kinshasa and the M23, a text was finally signed on Friday by Congolese Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner and her Rwandan counterpart Olivier Nduhungirehe, under the auspices of the United States at a ceremony in Washington.
The agreement, which US President Donald Trump welcomed as a “milestone” for peace by the African Union and the United Nations, was reached after a series of truces and ceasefire agreements systematically broken in recent years. It includes provisions on “respect for territorial integrity and the cessation of hostilities” in eastern DRC. The provisions have yet to be implemented.
The agreement also includes an economic component that is not very detailed. In April, the Congolese president had discussed a mining agreement with US Africa advisor Massad Boulos, who was visiting Kinshasa at the time.
“This agreement, signed by the foreign ministers of our two countries in a solemn ceremony presided over by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, paves the way for a new era of stability, cooperation and prosperity for our nation,” said Félix Tshisekedi in a video address broadcast on Monday to mark the 65th anniversary of the former Belgian colony’s independence.
This text, which Mr. Tshisekedi also described as “historic” and intended to mark “a decisive turning point” in bringing the conflict to an end, “is not just a document, it is a promise of peace for the populations” of eastern DRC, added the head of state.
While whole swathes of the region are under M23 control, the Congolese president affirmed his desire to “fully re-establish the authority of the State over the entire national territory”. However, the agreement published by the US State Department only mentions the M23 in the context of the Doha mediation. The armed group’s territorial gains are not addressed.
