The leaders of Rwanda and DR Congo met in Washington to ratify an accord to end their long-running conflict

Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) have signed a peace agreement which US President Donald Trump hailed as an “historic” end to three decades of armed conflict in eastern Congo.

Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, ratified the Washington Accord for Peace and Prosperity at a ceremony in the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace, formerly the US Institute of Peace, on Thursday. Their foreign ministers first signed the pact in June after months of mediation by the US, the African Union, and Qatar.

Trump said the signing was the first event to be hosted in the “spectacular building.” 

“It’s a great honor… very importantly, we’re settling a war that’s been going on for decades with millions and millions of people killed,” he stated.

Trump said the rivals, who have “spent a lot of time killing each other,” will now “spend a lot of time hugging, holding hands, and taking advantage” of the US “economically like every other country does.”

Rwanda’s president praised Trump for an “even-handed” peace approach.

Relations between Rwanda and DR Congo have been strained for decades by a rebel war in eastern Congo which escalated this year. Kinshasa has repeatedly accused Kigali of backing the M23 rebel group, allegations the Rwandan government has denied.

The Washington agreement commits Kigali to withdraw its forces from the border and end alleged support for the M23, while Kinshasa pledges to curb militias hostile to Rwanda and create a joint security coordination mechanism. It also establishes a regional economic framework tied to US investment in Congo’s cobalt, coltan, and other critical minerals, a sector where Western media say Washington is seeking to curb China’s dominance.

Trump acknowledged that both Rwanda and the DR Congo have “some very valuable things,” insisting that the leaders have given him their “personal word” to fully implement the accord.

Previous ceasefire deals have collapsed amid persistent reports of clashes between the M23 rebels and Congolese forces even as the leaders were in Washington to sign the accord.

African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf has welcomed the pact as a “significant milestone” toward peace in the region and urged both governments to honor their obligations and protect civilians.