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2025 Democratic Republic of the Congo–Rwanda peace agreement
Peace deal facilitated by the United States in 2025 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Democratic Republic of the Congo–Rwanda peace agreement, also called the Washington Accord, is a peace treaty to end the conflict between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, signed on June 27, 2025, in Washington, D.C., United States. The main points of the agreement call for the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from the eastern DRC over the following 90 days and for the Congolese government to end its support for the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) militia. It also aims to set up a regional economic integration framework between the two countries, which will involve the United States.
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The agreement, which went into effect after being signed by the foreign ministers of the DRC and Rwanda, followed negotiations between the two countries that were mediated by the U.S. and Qatar. The main Rwandan-backed rebel group in the eastern DRC, the March 23 Movement (M23), was not a party to the agreement, and is in separate negotiations with the Congolese government.
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Background
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The eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been unstable since the influx of refugees from the Rwandan Civil War during the 1990s, leading to multiple conflicts over the next three decades involving more than 100 armed groups, some of which have been supported by the government of Rwanda. Rwanda has justified its involvement by claiming that some of the Hutu groups responsible for the Rwandan genocide against Tutsis continue to be active in the eastern DRC and have received support from its government—particularly the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). However, Rwanda has been accused by the United Nations and the Congolese government of using this as a pretext to steal resources from the mineral-rich eastern DRC. The conflicts in this region have caused the deaths of several million Congolese and the displacement of over seven million as refugees, with the UN describing the situation as "one of the most protracted, complex, serious humanitarian crises on Earth".[1][2]
The current conflict began in 2022 with the resurgence of the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group in the eastern DRC, following several years of dormancy since the M23 rebellion in 2012–2013. It received extensive military support from Rwanda, although the Rwandan government denies this. In early 2025, M23 captured a large territory in the east, including the major cities of Goma and Bukavu, the provincial capitals of North and South Kivu. The offensive has been described as the biggest escalation since M23 briefly occupied Goma in 2012 and has led to the conflict being compared to the First and Second Congo Wars of the 1990s and early 2000s. According to the UN, as of late 2024, the Rwandan Defence Force deployed as many as 4,000 troops to assist M23 in its campaign against the Congolese government, and has de facto control over M23 operations. The Congo River Alliance (AFC), a political organization that M23 joined in 2023, claimed that its goal was to overthrow the Congolese government.[2][3][4]
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Negotiating process
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There were previous efforts to mediate peace talks by Kenya and Angola that did not lead to a lasting agreement.[5] In February 2025, President Félix Tshisekedi of the DRC sent a letter to President Donald Trump, offering the U.S. access to his country's critical minerals in exchange for security assistance. In March, he made a formal offer of this to President Trump.[6] Also that month, Massad Boulos, a businessman who served as an advisor for the Middle East on the second Trump administration transition team, was appointed to the U.S. State Department for the purpose of mediating an agreement to end the conflict in the DRC.[5] After taking office, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with both Tshisekedi and President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, encouraging an "immediate ceasefire".[7]
Tshisekedi met with Kagame in Qatar for talks hosted by the emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, on March 18, the first in-person meeting between the two heads of state since the escalation of the conflict.[8][9] Tshisekedi and Kagame called for an immediate ceasefire after their meeting, but this was rejected by the M23 leadership.[10] After the meeting in Doha, Qatar, the U.S. took a bigger role in the talks.[11] The U.S. and Qatar worked closely throughout the negotiating process after the March 18 meeting, with a Qatari minister saying that it is part of his country's intention to mediate conflicts around the world.[9] In early April Boulos visited and met with officials in the DRC, Rwanda, Kenya, and Uganda, and during his tour he discussed resolving the DRC conflict and potential U.S. economic investment in the region. He emphasized that the U.S. believes Rwanda must withdraw its troops from DR Congo and end its support for M23.[7][12] After further Qatari-mediated talks, the Congolese government and M23 agreed to a ceasefire on April 24.[13]
The negotiations continued on April 25 with a meeting of the Congolese and Rwandan foreign ministers, Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner and Olivier Nduhungirehe, in Washington, D.C., where Secretary of State Rubio was also present. A "declaration of principles" for a peace settlement was agreed on. The declaration called for respecting territorial integrity as well as addressing legitimate security concerns, and also called on the two countries to cooperate with the U.S. and U.S. investors on economic projects, including in critical minerals.[11] A preliminary peace deal was signed by the DRC and Rwanda in Washington on June 19, 2025, after additional talks. Among its main points were ending hostilities and respecting territorial integrity, disarming non-state groups, facilitating the return of refugees, and a regional economic integration network. The signing ceremony was set for June 27.[14] Reportedly, a demand from the DRC on immediate Rwandan troop withdrawal had been dropped during the talks.[15] The U.S. also insisted on a withdrawal before the signing, but dropped it after Rwanda resisted.[4] The signing took place with their foreign ministers, Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner and Olivier Nduhungirehe, in the presence of the U.S. Secretary of State, on June 27, and it was followed by a meeting with President Trump at the White House.[16]
The heads of state of the DRC and Rwanda were expected to visit Washington in July to finalize the agreement,[17] which has been officially named the Washington Accord.[18][19] Massad Boulous said that the U.S. hopes for the DRC and M23 to also sign a peace agreement before the signing of the Washington Accord by the countries' heads of state.[20] Meetings between delegations to oversee the implementation of the economic and security aspects of the agreement were organized by the U.S. State Department from 30 July to 1 August.[21]
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Terms of the agreement
The peace agreement pledges to implement the terms of a 2024 deal which calls for Rwanda to withdraw its troops from the DRC and for the two countries to establish a regional economic integration framework within 90 days, the creation of a joint security coordination mechanism within 30 days, and the "disengagement, disarmament, and conditional integration of non-state armed groups", which would end support for the FDLR and M23. The deal also seeks to "link both countries, in partnership, as appropriate, with the U.S. government and U.S. investors" through the economic framework.[22][23] The joint security coordination mechanism would oversee both the Rwandan troop withdrawal and the disbandment of the FDLR.[24]
Analysis and reactions
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M23 and the political organization it is part of, the Congo River Alliance (AFC), have said in the past that any agreement negotiated without their involvement does not concern the group.[1] Separate negotiations are still ongoing between the Congolese government and M23. Congolese foreign minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner said that the two negotiating tracks are "closely linked", and that the peace process had been given a new "sense of urgency" due to the commitment of U.S. president Trump.[25] Rwandan foreign minister Olivier Nduhungirehe claimed that the treaty would not have been possible without Trump's leadership and called it a "remarkable milestone."[19] The U.S. senior advisor for Africa, Massad Boulos, called it a "historic agreement" because "there was never a comprehensive agreement like this particular one."[24] According to the U.S. State Department, the U.S., Qatar, the African Union, and Togo "will continue to engage both parties to ensure implementation of the obligations laid out in the agreement."[9] The African Union named Faure Gnassingbé, the president of Togo, as its chief mediator for the conflict, along with a panel of five other former presidents, who contributed to the Doha and Washington peace talks.[4]
The agreement has been criticized by some experts and commentators for not involving the M23 group and for its economic section, which has been called resource exploitation.[26] Former president of the DRC, Joseph Kabila, criticized the agreement with Rwanda as "diplomatic theater" due to the absence of M23 and other groups from eastern Congo.[25] Political researcher Jason Stearns said that "This is the best chance we have at a peace process for the moment despite all the challenges and flaws".[22] Jakob Kerstan, the DRC country director at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, said that the agreement is a political gain for Tshisekedi, by bringing the U.S. into the negotiating process to assist the DRC.[26] Financial Times wrote that the agreement effectively commits Rwanda to ending its support for M23.[25] Other commentators have noted that M23 still has significant leverage due to its control of Goma and Bukavu, regardless of Rwandan support.[26] Ten Congolese opposition parties, including those of former president Kabila and the politician Moïse Katumbi, criticized the agreement in a statement on 11 July, saying that it reduced the conflict to a "bilateral conflict" with Rwanda.[27]
The Rwandan government formally ratified the agreement with the DRC on 16 July.[28] On 19 July the DRC signed a declaration of principles with M23 in Doha, Qatar, which stated that a final peace agreement and full ceasefire will be signed no later than 18 August, and that it will be in alignment with the agreement between the DRC and Rwanda. Congolese government spokesman Patrick Muyaya stated that the declaration "takes into account the red lines we have always defended, including the withdrawal of M23." The principles include the restoration of state authority over the entire territory of the DRC.[20][29]
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that that the agreement is "a significant step towards de-escalation, peace and stability in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Great Lakes region". He commended the U.S. for its leadership role in the mediation, and acknowledged the roles of Qatar, the African Union, and other organizations that were involved, and called on all parties to honor the agreement and the UNSC Resolution 2773.[30]
A statement from the Democratic U.S. senators Chris Coons and Jeanne Shaheen said that "While signing an agreement is important, implementation will be essential, and we urge both parties and all international partners to ensure its enforcement."[19]
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References
External links
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