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Washington leads new efforts for peace between drc and rwanda
On April 25, 2025, in a significant step towards peace, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will preside over the signing ceremony of a "declaration of principles" in Washington. This agreement will be between Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the Foreign Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (RDC), and her Rwandan counterpart, Olivier Nduhungirehe. Scheduled for 2 p.m. local time, this event is part of ongoing efforts to restore stability in eastern RDC.
This announcement follows a joint statement issued two days prior, in which the Congolese government and the M23/AFC rebel movement, mediated by Qatar, expressed their commitment to establishing a ceasefire. This initiative marks a crucial step towards ending hostilities that have plagued the region for over three decades.
The Qatari mediation, which officially began on March 18 with a meeting between Presidents Félix Tshisekedi and Paul Kagame—their first in more than a year—appears to be bolstered by support from Washington. Recent discussions between Qatari State Minister Mohammed Al-Khulaifi and Massad Boulos, the former special advisor to Donald Trump on Africa, prior to the April 23 joint declaration, further support this notion.
"The United States will consider all diplomatic and economic tools to advance peace... This conflict has lasted more than thirty years; it is high time to put an end to it," Boulos stated during a press conference on April 17.
The stability of eastern RDC is seen as essential for advancing U.S. strategic interests in the region. Washington has reiterated its support for the Lobito Corridor, particularly through investments in Congolese infrastructure, and is currently negotiating a bilateral agreement with Kinshasa to secure access to strategic minerals.
On the ground, the populations of North and South Kivu are bearing the brunt of the ongoing conflict. Economic actors report soaring prices and significant economic losses, particularly in the mining sector, due to looting and disruptions in operations.
The Congolese state estimates potential losses to the national budget could reach nearly one billion dollars in 2025. This crisis also jeopardizes development projects, such as the highway connecting Lomami to South Kivu, which is financed to the tune of 500 million dollars by the World Bank.
