DRC, Rwanda to unveil peace agreement brokered by US

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda are expected to unveil an agreement they signed in respect of each other’s sovereignty a week ago.

In the agreement signed by the two countries, they agreed to refrain from providing military support to non-state armed groups within and across their borders in a declaration of principles signed under the auspices of the United States.

The agreement facilitated by the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio opened a door to a possible peace deal between the two countries, which have been trading accusations of backing each other’s rebels.

“We commit to explore the establishment of a joint security coordination mechanism to counter non-state armed groups and criminal organizations that threaten the Participants’ legitimate security concerns,” DRC and Rwanda agreed.

The agreement, which was signed in Washington, seeks to halt the hostilities in the Eastern Part of DR Congo, which has persisted for months, as both countries have now pledged to mutually acknowledge each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and commit to a pathway to resolve their disputes peacefully.

The agreement came two days after a Qatar-mediated face-to-face dialogue between the AFC/M23 rebels and the DRC government, which resulted in both parties agreeing to a ceasefire.

The two sides agreed to facilitate the safe and voluntary return of internally displaced person’s to their original homes in the eastern part of DRC.

“The agreement marks not an end but a beginning, a necessary step towards peace taken with resolve and purpose. This moment carries particular weight for the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” DRC Foreign Affairs minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner stated on the day of signing the declaration.

Rwanda’s Foreign Affairs minister Olivier Nduhungirehe also noted that the agreement marks an important step towards addressing the region’s existing security concerns, which, if tackled, could unlock its economic potential.

“We are talking about the real issues, the root causes that must be addressed to achieve a lasting peace in our region. Those include, first and foremost, security, as well as the return of refugees. We are discussing how to build new regional economic value chains that link our countries, including with American private sector investment. Our goal is a secure region, free of violent ethnic extremism, which is well-governed,” He said.

Securing the eastern part of the DRC is expected to unlock significant investment opportunities, including those facilitated by the US government and US private sector, aimed at transforming the regional economy to the benefit of all participating countries.

The US recently signed a minerals deal with the DRC and is reported to be pursuing a similar agreement with Rwanda.

Addressing the hostilities in the mineral-rich region home to resources such as tantalum and gold is seen as key to securing US government investments and interests in the Great Lakes region.