On Thursday, December 4th, leaders of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda signed the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity during a ceremony hosted by President Donald Trump at the United States Institute of Peace. The agreement formalizes commitments to end decades of conflict, promote economic cooperation, and establish a permanent ceasefire.
The accords reaffirm the June 27th peace framework and introduce the Regional Economic Integration Framework (REIF), aimed at unlocking the economic potential of the Great Lakes region. President Félix Tshisekedi represented the DRC, while President Paul Kagame signed on behalf of Rwanda. The ceremony was attended by African leaders, including Kenyan President William Ruto, Angolan President João Lourenço, Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye, Togolese Faure Gnassingbé, and Ugandan Vice President Jessica Alupo, Qatari Minister of State Dr. Mohammed Al Khulaifi and Emirati Minister of State Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan.
Trump emphasized the historic significance of the agreement, calling the signing a “great day” for Africa and the world, and highlighted that the United States was signing bilateral agreements with the Congo and Rwanda that would “unlock new opportunities for the United States to access critical minerals and provide economic benefits for everybody.”
While the ceremony projected optimism, analysts and reports underscore ongoing tensions in eastern DRC, where clashes between government forces and M23 rebels have continued. Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe maintained that Rwanda has not deployed troops in DRC, emphasizing that the accords respect national borders and sovereignty. Meanwhile, UN experts have reported that Rwandan forces exert influence over M23 operations, and fighting has persisted despite the ceasefire agreement.
Tshisekedi acknowledged the challenges ahead, asserting the path toward peace is demanding but represents a turning point. Kagame described Trump’s mediation as introducing “a new and effective dynamism that created the space for breakthroughs,” stressing the agreement offers the clearest path forward the two nations have seen.
