Rwanda is moving toward signing a peace deal with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in a bid to end the deadly conflict ravaging eastern Congo.
Rwanda’s foreign minister, Olivier Nduhungirehe, announced today that a final agreement is expected to be signed in mid-June during a high-level meeting at the White House in Washington. This follows intense negotiations between the two countries, mediated by the United States, after months of fighting that has left thousands dead and displaced hundreds of thousands.
The rebel group M23, which has seized key territories in eastern Congo since early this year, has been at the heart of the conflict. UN experts and the United States have accused Rwanda of providing military backing to M23 — claims that Kigali denies. Rwanda insists its national security has been under threat from other armed groups based in eastern Congo, particularly the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, tied to the perpetrators of the 1994 genocide.
According to Minister Nduhungirehe, although the parties have not yet finalized the content of the agreement, they are working to merge their proposals into a single draft. Foreign ministers from both nations will meet in Washington in late May to complete the draft, paving the way for the formal signing ceremony next month.
US Special Envoy for Africa, Massad Boulos, recently confirmed that the draft proposal has been received, calling it “an important step toward fulfilling the commitments” made during earlier negotiations. Boulos, who is connected to the Trump family through his daughter-in-law Tiffany Trump, has urged Rwanda to end its alleged support for the M23 and withdraw any troops from Congolese territory.
For the people of eastern Congo, the stakes are high. Since M23’s resurgence in 2021, vast regions have fallen under its control, creating a massive humanitarian crisis marked by displacement, violence, and instability.
SNEWS TV will continue following this evolving story and bring you updates as they unfold.
Reporting by Ehud Jones
