Trump praises DRC and Rwanda leaders amid bid to end conflict

發佈日期: 2025-12-05 21:30

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US President Donald Trump praised the leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda for their courage as they signed onto a deal aimed at ending the conflict in eastern Congo.

Trump also announced the United States was signing bilateral agreements with the Congo and Rwanda that will unlock new opportunities for Washington to access critical minerals.

US President Donald Trump welcomed Presidents Felix Tshisekedi of the Demoratic Republic of the Congo and Paul Kagame of Rwanda, as well as several officials from other African nations who travelled to Washington D.C. to witness the signing.

The Central African nation of Congo has been battered by decades long fighting with more than 100 armed groups, the most potent being the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels. 

The conflict can be traced to the aftermath of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, where Hutu militias killed between 500,000 and 1 million ethnic Tutsi, as well as moderate Hutus and Twa, Indigenous people. 

The conflict escalated this year, with M23 seizing the region's main cities of Goma and Bukavu.

The pact between Tshisekedi and Kagame follows monthslong peace efforts by the US and partners and finalises an earlier deal signed in June.

Analysts say the deal isn't expected to quickly result in peace. However, Trump predicted the countries would leave behind "decades of violence and bloodshed." 

"Today we commit to stopping decades of violence and bloodshed and to begin a new era of harmony and cooperation between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda," said Trump. "I want to thank the two courageous leaders. They are courageous leaders."

Trump also announced the United States was signing bilateral agreements with the Congo and Rwanda that will unlock new opportunities for Washington to access critical minerals.

The region, rich in critical minerals, has been of interest to Trump as Washington looks for ways to circumvent China to acquire rare earths, essential to manufacturing fighter jets, mobile phones and more. 

China accounts for nearly 70 percent of the world's rare earth mining and controls roughly 90 percent of global rare earths processing.