Metro53 - WASHINGTON: Under the mediation of US President Donald J. Trump, the presidents of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda — Félix Tshisekedi and Paul Kagame — signed a US-brokered peace and economic integration agreement in Washington on Thursday.
The accord — first negotiated in June — seeks to end decades of conflict, particularly in the volatile eastern region of the DRC, by establishing joint security coordination, troop withdrawals, and disarmament of non-state armed groups.The agreement also includes new frameworks for economic cooperation and access to the DRC’s mineral-rich resources.
Addressing the ceremony, Trump described the day as a “great day for the world,” praising the leaders for embracing peace instead of continued bloodshed. He said the agreement paved the way for a new era of cooperation and development in a region long plagued by conflict.
However, the peace pact comes amid ongoing concerns: fighting persists in parts of eastern Congo, and rebel groups remain active — raising doubts over whether the agreement will deliver immediate security on the ground. Despite these caveats, US and African leaders cast the accord as a landmark shift toward stability and economic opportunity.
