Washington D.C. – The United States government announced on Monday, May 5, that it has received a draft peace agreement between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.This development is a significant step in Washington’s ongoing mediation efforts to resolve the protracted conflict in eastern DR Congo.
The handover of the draft follows confirmation by Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ambassador Olivier Nduhungirehe, on Sunday that Rwanda had agreed to the draft. The foundational declaration of principles for this agreement was signed in Washington on April 25.
Massad Boulos, Senior Advisor for Africa to US President Donald Trump, welcomed the submission.3 “I welcome the draft text on a peace proposal received from both DR Congo and Rwanda,” Boulos stated in a post on X on Monday. “This is an important step toward fulfilling the commitments made in the Declaration of Principles, and I count on their continued commitment to achieving peace,” he added.
The comprehensive peace agreement is tentatively scheduled for signing in June at the White House by Rwandan President Paul Kagame and his Congolese counterpart Félix Tshisekedi. US President Donald Trump is expected to be in attendance.
Minister Nduhungirehe indicated that Rwanda had provided input and contributions to the draft.4 Experts from both nations are expected to negotiate the draft in the coming days, with a second ministerial meeting anticipated in Washington during the third week of May to further refine the document.5 Following these expert and ministerial discussions, the peace agreement is slated to be finalized and presented to the Heads of State for signing in mid-June.
The anticipated signing ceremony is expected to draw several regional and international leaders who have played mediating roles in the crisis. These include Kenyan President William Ruto, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé (in his capacity as the African Union-appointed mediator), and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim ibn Hamad Al Thani.
In addition to the peace accord, Rwanda and DR Congo are also expected to sign separate bilateral economic agreements with the United States government.
The Declaration of Principles, signed by the Rwandan and Congolese foreign ministers on April 25, marked the formal commencement of this US-mediated peace process. The initiative aims to restore stability not only to eastern DR Congo but also to the wider Great Lakes region, which has long been affected by the spillover effects of the conflict. In the declaration, both countries reaffirmed their respect for each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and committed to resolving disputes through diplomatic channels.
Prior to the final signing of the agreement, the United States has underscored that both parties must meet several preconditions. These include DR Congo fully addressing its internal security challenges and Rwanda’s security concerns, notably the disbandment of the genocidal group FDLR. DR Congo is also expected to implement internal governance reforms, including ensuring equitable distribution of national resources across its various regions.
Minister Nduhungirehe emphasized the critical importance of addressing security issues, stating that there is no shortcut to achieving peace. He noted that both parties acknowledged each other’s security concerns during the signing of the declaration of principles. “We agreed in that document to deploy a joint security mechanism that would help us in addressing those concerns because we have been dealing with a security threat for the past 30 years — the FDLR genocidal force that is still operating in eastern DR Congo and is embedded in the Congolese army,” the minister stated. “We hope that with this new momentum for peace, we will be able to really address this issue of FDLR.”
A monitoring committee comprising representatives from the United States, Qatar, France, and Togo will be established to oversee the implementation of these crucial conditions.11
Negotiations, which were previously conducted under the East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) frameworks, have now been formally placed under the leadership of the African Union, with Togo designated to facilitate the process moving forward.
