US-Brokered Peace Deal Ends Decades-Long Rwanda, DRC Conflict

The United States, led by President Donald Trump, brokered a historic peace agreement between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to end decades of conflict in the Great Lakes region. The deal, signed in Washington, D.C., commits Rwanda to withdraw troops from eastern Congo and cease support for the M23 rebel group, while the DRC pledges to disarm the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). Qatar also played a significant role by facilitating negotiation sessions in Doha, contributing to confidence-building between the two nations. U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance, witnessed the signing, with Trump declaring the agreement as a new chapter of hope and prosperity for the region. The agreement is seen as a vital step toward stabilizing the area, though U.S. senators emphasized the critical need for implementation, humanitarian aid, and accountability mechanisms to address ongoing violence and displacement. The peace deal aims to respect territorial integrity and disarm non-state armed groups, signaling a potential end to one of Africa's longest conflicts.