Trump to host DRC and Rwanda presidents to sign peace agreement

United States President Donald Trump will host the leaders of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo in Washington on Thursday to sign a peace agreement, the White House said.

White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday that Félix Tshisekedi and Paul Kagame will sign a “historic peace and economic" deal brokered by Trump.

Tshisekedi already confirmed last week his presence in Washington.

Thursday’s meeting is expected to build on a previous peace deal reached in June and signed by the two countries' foreign ministers, and an economic framework agreed on in November.

The upcoming deal will cap monthslong diplomatic efforts aimed at securing peace in eastern Congo.

The Congolese government has often said its signing of the deal would be conditioned on Rwanda’s withdrawal of support for the M23 rebel group.

Meanwhile, Kagame accused Congolese authorities of stalling the deal’s final signature.

While he still expressed optimism about the upcoming deal, the Rwandan president cautioned that lasting peace in Congo’s eastern region can only be achieved if “people directly concerned are committed to achieve results.”

Alongisde this US-mediated peace process, the DRC is engaged in negotiations with M23 in Qatar. On 15 November, Congo and the rebel group signed a framework for peace in Doha, building from a previous declaration of principles.