Trump to host DR Congo’s Félix Tshisekedi and Rwanda’s Paul Kagame to sign peace deal

The leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda are set to sign a peace deal aimed at ending the region's long-running conflict at a summit hosted by US President Donald Trump in Washington.

Ahead of the summit, fighting in the resource-rich eastern part of DR Congo has escalated between government forces and rebels believed to be backed by Rwanda.

DR Congo's army accused its rivals of trying to “sabotage” the peace process, but M23 rebels said the army launched an offensive in violation of the ceasefire.

Earlier this year, M23 captured large parts of eastern DR Congo in an offensive that killed thousands and forced many more from their homes.

DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame have frequently exchanged insults in recent years, blaming each other for starting the conflict.

In June, Trump persuaded the two countries' foreign ministers to sign the peace agreement, calling it a “glorious triumph.”

Tshisekedi and Kagame will now back it, and the signing ceremony is expected to be attended by several other African and Arab leaders, including those of Burundi and Qatar.

The M23 movement will not be present – it is negotiating with the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo as part of a parallel peace process led by Qatar.

The Trump administration has spearheaded negotiations between DR Congo and Rwanda, hoping that resolving differences between the two neighbors will pave the way for the US to increase investment in the resource-rich region.

Rwanda denies supporting M23 despite UN experts say army 'de facto controls M23 operations'.

Despite the fanfare and presence of the two leaders in Washington, some analysts are skeptical about whether the deal will lead to lasting peace.

DR Congo researcher Bram Verelst, a South African security think tank, told the BBC that “there is currently no ceasefire and the M23 rebellion continues to expand and consolidate its control.”

“The signing ceremony is unlikely to change this situation, although there is some hope that it may make Congolese and Rwandan leaders more accountable for fulfilling their commitments,” he said.

Earlier this year, M23 captured key cities in eastern DR Congo, including Goma and Bukavu.

In a statement, DR Congo army spokesman General Sylvain Ekenge said rebels launched a new offensive on Tuesday against villages in South Kivu province.

The villages are about 75 km (47 miles) from the town of Uvira, which straddles the border with Burundi and has been the headquarters of the South Kivu regional government since rebels captured Bukavu.

For its part, M23 said that the DR Congo army launched an air and ground attack on its position, and this was done in collusion with Burundian forces.

Burundi has not commented on the accusation. It has several thousand soldiers in eastern DR Congo to support its combat-ready army.

Rwanda says it has taken “protective measures” in eastern DR Congo due to the threat posed by the FDLR militia group, which includes militants who committed the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

Kagame insists on the need to disarm the FDLR, and DR Congo demands the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from its territory.

Both of these conditions are included in the peace agreement that will be signed in Washington.

However, several deals since the 1990s have fallen apart after Rwanda blamed the previous Congolese government for failing to disarm the FDLR, and this remains one of the main stumbling blocks in current efforts to end the conflict.

The DR Congo government also demanded that M23 give up the captured territory, which it has so far refused to do in negotiations mediated by Qatar.

Qatar and the United States are coordinating their mediation efforts. Qatar has strong ties with Rwanda, while the US is considered closer to DR Congo.

In 2023, the US State Department stated that DR Congo's mineral reserves were valued at $25 trillion (£21.2 trillion).

These include cobalt, copper, lithium, manganese and tantalum – key ingredients needed to make electronic components used in computers, electric vehicles, mobile phones, wind turbines and military equipment.

“As part of this agreement, we are getting the majority of the mineral rights from the Congo for the United States,” Trump said before signing the agreement in June.

Professor Jason Stearns, a Canadian political scientist who specializes in the region, told the BBC that the US is pushing for an economic agreement that would allow DR Congo and Rwanda to cooperate on hydropower, mining and infrastructure development.

“The logic is that it will pay peace dividends,” he said.

However, DR Congo has made it clear that while it will sign the agreement, it will not “move forward with this agreement until Rwandan troops have withdrawn from eastern DR Congo,” Professor Stearns added.