Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi will travel to the United States next week to sign a peace agreement with Rwandan President Paul Kagame, the Congolese government announced Friday.
The ceremony, scheduled for December 4, follows months of diplomatic efforts led by US President Donald Trump and aims to consolidate a peace deal first agreed upon in June.
According to Tshisekedi’s spokesperson, Tina Salama, the leaders will also approve a Regional Economic Integration Framework that was negotiated earlier this month. “The president has always desired regional integration, but respect for sovereignty is non-negotiable and a prerequisite for regional integration,” Salama said.
Kagame emphasized that lasting peace in eastern Congo will require more than formal agreements.
Speaking ahead of the signing, he warned: “Some of these processes will not work not just because we are meeting in Washington or the powerful United States is involved, but until those people concerned directly are committed to achieving end results.”
Eastern Congo has suffered from decades of fighting involving government forces and over 100 armed groups, including the M23 rebels. This year, clashes intensified as M23 seized major cities such as Goma and Bukavu, worsening an already severe humanitarian crisis.
In November, the Congolese government and M23 reached a new peace framework aimed at ending the fighting in the region.
Tshisekedi’s administration has linked the success of any agreement to Rwanda’s withdrawal of support for the M23. Rwanda denies involvement, yet a United Nations report released in July stated that it exerts command and control over the rebel group.
Salama told The Associated Press that any final agreement will not allow “any mixing or integration of M23 fighters.” She added that the withdrawal of Rwandan forces had been outlined in the June agreement signed by the foreign ministers of both nations.
“We are pursuing peace within a regional integration framework,” Salama said. “What remains non-negotiable for us is the territorial integrity of the DRC.”
The upcoming signing represents a critical moment for regional stability. Observers hope the deal will not only end years of conflict but also strengthen economic cooperation and integration between the two nations.
