Gambiaj.com – (WASHINGTON) – As anticipated, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda signed a “declaration of principles” this Friday, April 25th, in Washington, under the observation of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. It had become a rather rare sight recently: Rwandan and Congolese officials sitting at the same table for negotiations.

Yet, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio achieved this feat on Friday, April 25th, in Washington, bringing together Thérèse Kayikwanba Wagner, the Congolese Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Olivier Nduhungirehe, her Rwandan counterpart. They signed a declaration in which Kinshasa and Kigali agree to “create a draft peace agreement” by May 2nd.

“Our goal is a secure region, free from violent ethnic extremism, and well-governed. But there are no shortcuts or quick fixes. And we must work hard to get it right once and for all,” stated Olivier Nduhungirehe.

In this document, Rwanda and the DRC set a deadline to achieve a draft peace agreement, committing to prioritize diplomatic channels over armed force to resolve their conflict.

They also commit to various principles such as the recognition of the territorial integrity and borders of each country, the importance of limiting the proliferation of non-state armed groups, and the voluntary return of refugees and the thousands of internally displaced persons, while also acknowledging the role of MONUSCO.

The Rwandan chief diplomat reacted by thanking Donald Trump for enabling a real change in the way the situation in eastern DRC is being resolved. “Today, we are talking about the real problems: the root causes must be addressed to achieve lasting peace in the region,” he stated before continuing, “This includes the security and return of refugees. [And] we are [also] discussing how to create [new] economic value chains” between Rwanda and the DRC, as well as with the American private sector.

A signature that “revives much hope“

For Washington, which is deploying its own strategy while supporting the Doha process, the economy, conceived as a means to anchor peace through investments and development, is indeed an integral part of the solution, as suggested by the various agreements under discussion with several countries in the region, starting with a mining agreement with Kinshasa.

This “signature […] revives hope,” declared Thérèse Wagner, the Congolese Minister of Foreign Affairs, who nevertheless remained much more cautious. “For us Congolese, the urgency of this initiative is not theoretical; it is about human lives,” she also affirmed, explaining that actions must follow promises and declarations of good intentions.

There is a history, families, and communities that bind us together. This common heritage calls for maturity, restraint, and the wisdom to recognize that pax is not a weakness. It is a strength.

The reconstruction of a relationship of trust between the DRC and Rwanda risks taking some time, she added: “Peace can be won, but it requires seriousness, transparency, and sincerity.” Before launching into a discourse on the inalienable borders of her country, particularly in the East, where entire swathes of Congolese territory – including the cities of Goma and Bukavu – have been under the control of the AFC/M23, a group supported by Rwanda, for two months.

Discussions between Kinshasa and Kigali will take place within the regional framework established by the Nairobi and Luanda processes, supported by the African Union.

To resolve their numerous disagreements, representatives of the two countries will meet at the ministerial level in the United States, even though discussions have already taken place in Qatar.

The US Secretary of State thus wishes to highlight Donald Trump’s commitment to finding peace agreements worldwide, as well as his desire to engage in the prosperity of the Great Lakes region of Africa by facilitating Western investments to exploit the vast mineral wealth of eastern DRC.