The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda have signed a new agreement to respect each other’s borders and work out a peace plan within days.
The agreement was signed in Washington, United States, by DR Congo’s Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner and Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio witnessed the signing on Friday.
Speaking after the signing, Wagner said, “This agreement is a new step toward peace between our two nations.” Nduhungirehe also said, “We are committed to dialogue and peaceful solutions.”
Both countries promised to come up with a draft peace deal by 2 May 2025.
Relations between DR Congo and Rwanda have been very tense in recent months, as fighting between government forces and M23 rebels, who are backed by Rwanda, worsened.
The M23 rebels have taken control of large parts of mineral-rich eastern DR Congo, including Goma and Bukavu, the two biggest cities in that region.
Because of the fighting, hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes. Officials say about 7,000 people have been killed in eastern DR Congo since January this year.
After losing important areas to the rebels, the government in Kinshasa asked the United States for help in exchange for access to Congo’s mineral resources.
The agreement signed on Friday also says the US government and private companies are expected to make big investments in both countries.
However, even as the agreement was being signed, reports said fighting continued in North Kivu province on Friday.
Earlier this week, DR Congo’s government and the M23 rebel group said they were both committed to finding peace, raising hopes that a full ceasefire could soon happen.
DR Congo accuses Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels by giving them weapons and even sending Rwandan soldiers to fight alongside them.
Both the United Nations and the United States have confirmed that Rwanda is backing the rebels, but Rwanda has continued to deny this.
The long conflict in eastern DR Congo has worsened this year, with fears that it could lead to a bigger war in the region.
Despite the many challenges, the Washington agreement is seen as a positive step towards ending the violence.
