Trump to approve agreement between Rwanda and DR Congo despite ongoing violence

US President Donald Trump is scheduled to host the leaders of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday, presenting their expected accord as a new diplomatic success despite persistent fighting in eastern DRC.

The administration anticipates that the deal will open the door for greater US access to strategic minerals located in the conflict-scarred eastern region of the DRC, an area rich in essential components used in modern technologies, including electric vehicles.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame whose forces have recently gained a significant advantage over neighboring DR Congo will join Trump and Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi at the US Institute of Peace, a venue Trump previously shut down during budget cuts.

The White House announced that both leaders plan to sign a peace agreement, following a similar commitment made more than five months earlier when their foreign ministers met with Trump to outline steps toward ending the conflict.

However, on the eve of the meeting, fierce battles continued to erupt in eastern DRC. The M23 rebel group, widely believed to be backed by Rwanda, has made substantial advances against government troops in recent weeks. Numerous homes have been hit, and casualties are high, said Rene Chubaka Kalembire, an official in Kaziba, a town currently controlled by M23.

The long-standing tensions escalated sharply in late January when M23 seized major urban centers, including Goma and Bukavu. After a ceasefire was announced in June through mediation by Qatar, both the rebels and the Kinshasa government repeatedly accused each other of breaking the truce.

Trump has claimed credit for ending multiple conflicts since returning to office in January, including the decades-old violence in DR Congo. He has also emphasized US ambitions to secure mineral resources that might otherwise fall under Chinas influence. The DRC holds the worlds largest reserves of cobalt a key material for electric vehicle batteries along with significant copper and other mineral deposits.

The Congolese government stated that the new pact would encompass a peace accord, a framework for regional economic cooperation, and a strategic partnership focused on natural resources. Presidential spokesperson Tina Salama stressed that Kinshasa insisted on achieving security before moving forward with broader economic plans. This is not a trade of minerals for peace, she said in Washington.

Rwanda has conditioned the withdrawal of its defensive measures on the DRC neutralizing the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a Hutu militia with ties to the 1994 genocide. Kagame, who is also expected to hold a separate meeting with Trump, recently accused the DRC of stalling progress on the agreement. In response, DRC Communication Minister Patrick Muyaya said ongoing violence reflected Rwandas unwillingness to commit to peace. It clearly shows Rwanda is not serious about this, he remarked.

Both nations have also been engaged in broader discussions with the US regarding cooperation on migration policy as Trump continues with expansive deportation initiatives.

Author: Jackson Miller