By Associated Press via U.S. News & World Report
The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda have signed a peace deal facilitated by the U.S. to help end the decades-long, deadly fighting in eastern Congo
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda on Friday signed a peace deal facilitated by the U.S. to help end the decades-long deadly fighting in eastern Congo while helping the U.S. government and American companies gain access to critical minerals in the region.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it “an important moment after 30 years of war.” Earlier Friday, President Donald Trump said at a news conference that he was able to broker a deal for “one of the worst wars anyone’s ever seen.”
“I was able to get them together and sell it,” Trump said. “And not only that, we’re getting for the United States a lot of the mineral rights from Congo.”
The deal has been touted as an important step toward peace in the Central African nation of Congo, where conflict with more than 100 armed groups, the most potent backed by Rwanda, has killed millions since the 1990s.
It’s also at the heart of Trump’s push to gain access to critical minerals needed for much of the world’s technology at a time when the United States and China are actively competing for influence in Africa.
Analysts see the deal as a major turning point but don’t believe it will quickly end the fighting.
Congo and Rwanda send top diplomats to sign
Congo’s Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner invoked the millions of victims of the conflict in signing the agreement with Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe. Both expressed optimism but stressed significant work still to do to end the fighting.
“Some wounds will heal, but they will never fully disappear,” Wagner said. “Those who have suffered the most are watching. They are expecting this agreement to be respected, and we cannot fail them.”
Nduhungirehe noted the “great deal of uncertainty” because previous agreements were not put in place.
“There is no doubt that the road ahead will not be easy,” he said. “But with the continued support of the United States and other partners, we believe that a turning point has been reached.”
They, along with Rubio, lauded the support of the Gulf Arab nation of Qatar in facilitating the agreement, which Doha has been working on for months at the request of the U.S. and others.
The agreement has provisions on territorial integrity, prohibition of hostilities and the disengagement, disarmament and conditional integration of non-state armed groups.
The peace deal is not likely to quickly end the conflict
The Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group is the most prominent armed group in the conflict, and its major advance early this year left bodies on the streets. With 7 million people displaced in Congo, the United Nations has called it “one of the most protracted, complex, serious humanitarian crises on Earth.”
Congo hopes the U.S. will provide it with the security support needed to fight the rebels and possibly get them to withdraw from the key cities of Goma and Bukavu, and from the entire region where Rwanda is estimated to have up to 4,000 troops. Rwanda has said that it’s defending its territorial interests and not supporting M23.
M23 rebels have suggested that the agreement won’t be binding for them. The rebel group hasn’t been directly involved in the planned peace deal, although it has been part of other ongoing peace talks.