“The leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda will visit Washington next week, where they plan to hold a personal meeting with US President Donald Trump and sign an agreement to end the war.”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
A Congolese army pickup truck heads towards the front line during clashes with M23 rebels. Photo: Getty Images Source: Reuters citing three knowledgeable sources and an official comment from Congolese officials
Details: According to the agency’s interlocutors in diplomatic circles, as well as the statement of the Congolese president’s spokeswoman, Tina Salama, the summit is scheduled for December 4. The United States is mediating the process in an effort to bring lasting peace to the war-torn eastern Congo.
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The American administration aims not only at a political settlement, but also at attracting large-scale Western investment in the region’s mining industry. Eastern Congo is rich in rare earth resources, including tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper and lithium.
A White House official confirmed to reporters that the Trump administration continues to actively work with both sides of the conflict and “look forward to welcoming them to the White House at the appropriate time.”
“The president (Felix Tshisekedi – ed.) has always sought regional cooperation, but respect for sovereignty is non-negotiable and is a prerequisite for regional integration,” said the Congolese president’s spokeswoman.
The upcoming meeting in Washington is expected to build on the peace agreement that was brokered by the US back in June and signed at the level of foreign ministers. In addition, the leaders of the states must ratify the Framework Agreement on Regional Economic Cooperation, which was agreed upon in early November.
In September, DR Congo and Rwanda agreed to implement specific security measures under the summer accords by the end of 2025. This plan includes conducting operations to eliminate the threat from the armed group “Forces for the Democratic Liberation of Rwanda” (FDLR), based in the Congo, as well as facilitating the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from the territory of the neighboring state.
At the same time, journalists note that currently no significant progress is being observed directly on the ground. In parallel with the US track, Qatar organized separate talks between the Congolese government and the M23 rebels, where the parties signed a preliminary framework agreement, but many details still need to be negotiated.
The Congolese president, during a conversation with the diaspora in Serbia, confirmed his intentions to visit Washington, but emphasized the principled position: for true economic integration, Rwandan troops must completely leave the eastern part of his country.
Prehistory:
- The situation in the east of the DR Congo has significantly worsened over the past year. The Rwandan-backed rebel group M23 launched a lightning offensive, capturing the region’s two largest cities. This increased the fears of the international community about the development of a full-scale war, which could involve more neighboring states in the conflict.
- The latest cycle of violence has already left thousands dead and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes. The Rwandan government has consistently denied its support for the M23 militants, but a United Nations panel of experts in its July report provided evidence that Kigali effectively exercises command and control over the rebels.
- At the end of June Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo signed an agreement on the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from the eastern part of the Congo, brokered by the United States.