Trump seals Congo–Rwanda peace deal, unlocks critical minerals for US

US President Donald Trump on Thursday (December 4) hosted the leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda for the signing of a US-brokered agreement aimed at halting violence in eastern Congo and unlocking access to the region’s vast reserves of critical minerals for American companies.

Calling the moment “a great day for Africa, a great day for the world,” Trump declared, “Today, we’re succeeding where so many others have failed.”

The deal, finalized in Washington after months of mediation, follows a preliminary pact signed in June and is being described by the White House as a major diplomatic breakthrough.

Trump seizes spotlight

The ceremony gave Trump another opportunity to present himself as a global dealmaker and revive his long-standing claim that he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize. The event took place just days after he made disparaging comments about Somalia, remarks that drew criticism across the African continent.

Trump met individually with Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame, before holding a trilateral session.

Conflict still rages

Despite the diplomatic triumph, fighting continues on the ground. Eastern Congo remains engulfed in conflict involving more than 100 armed groups, including the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels who recently captured the key cities of Goma and Bukavu. The escalation has deepened one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with millions displaced.

Trump frequently claims his mediation “ended the conflict.” But, both leaders expressed cautious optimism.

Kagame said, “No one was asking President Trump to take up this task… But when the president saw the opportunity to contribute to peace, he immediately took it.”

Tshisekedi added, “I do believe this day is the beginning of a new path… a path where peace will not just be a wish, an aspiration, but a turning point.”

Deal opens access to critical minerals for US companies

A central pillar of the agreement is economic cooperation. The United States also signed bilateral accords with both Congo and Rwanda that will facilitate American access to critical minerals essential for manufacturing technology, electronics, and defense equipment.

Trump said major US corporations would soon enter the region: “We’ll be involved with sending some of our biggest and greatest U.S. companies over to the two countries… Everybody’s going to make a lot of money.”

The move comes as Washington seeks alternatives to China, which dominates both rare earth mining and processing globally.

Decades of tension rooted in Rwanda’s 1994 genocide

The crisis in eastern Congo is deeply tied to the aftermath of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide, which killed up to 1 million people. The influx of nearly 2 million Hutu refugees into Congo — including militias accused of genocide — set off decades of instability.

Rwanda has long argued that remnants of these groups still threaten Tutsis across the border. Congo maintains that peace is impossible unless Rwanda ends its support for the M23 rebels. Rwanda, meanwhile, insists that a permanent ceasefire requires Congo to dismantle local militias aligned with its army.

(With AP inputs)