The United States is urging Congo and Rwanda to sign a peace agreement at the White House within the next two months, alongside separate mineral deals expected to unlock billions in Western investment, President Trump’s senior advisor to Africa Massad Boulos told Reuters on Thursday.
“When we sign the peace agreement … the minerals deal with the DRC will be signed on that day, and then a similar package, but of a different size, will be signed on that day with Rwanda,” Boulos said during an interview in Doha.
Both countries are expected to submit separate peace accord drafts Friday, following negotiations in Washington aimed at ending ongoing violence in eastern Congo. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet with the Rwandan and Congolese foreign ministers in mid-May to finalize the agreement.
Before the peace deal can be signed, Boulos said both nations must complete bilateral economic agreements with Washington that will lead to U.S. and Western investments in Congolese mining and infrastructure projects, including mineral processing facilities in Rwanda. Boulos noted that companies are prepared to invest billions once the mineral deals are finalized.
For the White House signing to proceed, Washington expects key security issues to also be addressed. Rwanda must withdraw its forces from Congo and halt support for M23 rebels, which it denies backing. Congo, in turn, must address Rwanda’s concerns regarding militias like the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).
A follow-up committee made up of the U.S., Qatar, France, and Togo—representing the African Union—was established Wednesday to track both countries’ progress.
