Next week, the leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda will arrive in Washington, where they intend to hold face-to-face talks with United States President Donald Trump and conclude an agreement to end the war. This is reported by the agency Reuters with reference to three informed sources and an official comment from Congolese representatives, reports UNN.
Details
According to Reuters sources in diplomatic circles and a statement by Tina Salama, press secretary to the President of Congo, the meeting is scheduled for December 4. The US is acting as a mediator, seeking to achieve lasting peace in the conflict-ridden east of the DRC.
Washington plans not only to facilitate a political settlement but also to attract significant Western investment in the local mining sector. The eastern part of the country has large deposits of strategically important minerals - tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper, and lithium.
A White House official told reporters that Trump's team continues to work actively with both sides of the conflict and "would be pleased to welcome them to the White House at the appropriate moment."
The President (Félix Tshisekedi – ed.) has always sought regional cooperation, but respect for sovereignty is non-negotiable and is a prerequisite for regional integration.
The Washington talks are expected to build on a peace agreement that the foreign ministers of both countries agreed to and signed in June with US facilitation. The heads of state are also expected to approve the Framework Agreement on Regional Economic Partnership, agreed upon in early November.
In September, Kinshasa and Kigali agreed to implement security steps outlined in the summer agreements by the end of 2025. These include joint actions to neutralize the threat from the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) group, which operates in Congo, as well as work on the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from the country.
Despite this, journalists note that there are no tangible changes on the ground yet. In parallel with the American format, Qatar is holding its own negotiations between the Congolese government and the M23 rebel movement, where the parties have already signed a preliminary agreement, but many issues remain open.
During a meeting with the diaspora in Serbia, the President of Congo confirmed his intention to come to Washington but emphasized that real economic integration is only possible after the complete withdrawal of Rwandan forces from the eastern regions of his country.
Recall
In late June, Rwanda and the DRC signed a peace agreement in Washington, mediated by the US, which provides for the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from eastern Congo and the launch of economic integration. The US, in turn, received preferential rights to extract minerals in Congo.
In eastern DR Congo, ISIS-linked rebels killed 89 civilians – UN21.11.25, 16:01 • [views_4494]