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DOHA, Qatar – The U.S. is urging Congo and Rwanda to finalize a peace agreement set to be signed at the White House within approximately two months, alongside bilateral mineral deals expected to unlock billions in Western investment for the region, a senior Africa advisor to President Donald Trump told Reuters on Thursday.
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| Members of the M23 rebel group mount their vehicles after the opening ceremony of Caisse Generale d'epargne du Congo in Goma, North Kivu province in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo, April 7, 2025. [Image: REUTERS/Arlette Bashizi] |
“When the peace agreement is signed… the minerals deal with the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) will be finalized on the same day, followed by a similar—though smaller—package with Rwanda,” Massad Boulos said during an interview in Doha.
The proposed U.S.-brokered peace deal comes as Rwandan-backed M23 rebels make significant advances in Congo, marking the latest escalation in a decades-long conflict in the mineral-rich region, which produces tantalum, gold, and other critical resources. Rwanda denies supporting the rebel group.
Under a peace framework agreed upon in Washington last week, Rwanda and Congo are expected to submit separate draft agreements by Friday, as part of diplomatic efforts to quell violence in eastern Congo.
The Congolese government has not yet responded to Reuters’ request for comment.
In mid-May, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will host the foreign ministers of Rwanda and Congo in Washington to finalize the peace accord, Boulos said.
However, before the signing can proceed, both nations must complete economic agreements with the U.S., paving the way for American and Western firms to invest billions in Congolese mining operations and infrastructure projects, including mineral processing in Rwanda.
“The deal with the DRC is far larger in scale, given the country’s size and resource wealth, but Rwanda also has significant potential in mining—not just extraction but also processing, refining, and trading,” Boulos explained.
According to Boulos, U.S. and Western companies have signaled their readiness to commit multi-billion-dollar investments once the mineral agreements are finalized.
Additionally, Washington expects both countries to address key security concerns before the White House ceremony can take place. Rwanda must withdraw its troops from Congo and cease support for M23, while Congo must tackle Rwanda’s security grievances, including threats posed by militias like the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).
Boulos added that a monitoring committee—comprising the U.S., Qatar, France, and Togo (representing the African Union)—was established on Wednesday to oversee progress toward the peace deal.
(Reporting from Reuters)
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