On Thursday, December 4, Presidents Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Paul Kagame of Rwanda signed a “permanent ceasefire” agreement in Washington DC, mediated by US President Donald Trump.
The accord, dubbed The Washington Accord, includes disarmament of non-state forces, repatriation of refugees, and justice for those responsible for atrocities in eastern DRC. President Trump also announced that the United States will gain access to rare-earth minerals in both DRC and Rwanda, critical for battery production. He stated that leading American companies will participate in mining operations as part of the agreement.
The accord aims to end decades of conflict in eastern DRC, a region plagued by over 100 armed groups and longstanding disputes over mineral resources such as copper, cobalt, tin, tungsten, tantalum, and gold. In early 2025, the M23 rebel group, which the DRC accuses Rwanda of backing, launched a rapid offensive capturing large areas and causing hundreds of deaths.
President Kagame described the peace deal as ushering in a new era of stability, while President Tshisekedi affirmed Kinshasa’s commitment to full implementation, though maintaining vigilance. President Trump expressed optimism that the truce would endure, highlighting the mutual approval between the two African leaders.
The conflict in eastern DRC has spanned more than 30 years, with death toll estimates ranging from six million, according to the Council on Foreign Relations, to ten million, as stated by President Trump.