Trump basks in another peace deal, this one in Africa

The U.N. accuses Rwanda of supporting rebels who have taken over large swathes of the Democratic Republic of Congo – home to valuable minerals.

WASHINGTON − President Donald Trump has announced an accord between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda that the administration hopes will lead to peace in the African nation and pave the way for U.S. investment.

Trump said he arranged a treaty between the nations in a June 20 post on social media, in which he credited Secretary of State Marco Rubio for helping to bring the nations together. He hosted the countries’ top diplomats on June 27 in the Oval Office.

“First time in many years, they’re going to have peace. It’s a big deal,” Trump said at an earlier news conference.

Rubio hosted a signing ceremony between Democratic Republic of the Congo Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner and Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe at the Department of State immediately before the meeting with Trump.

The deal came together amid the Israel-Iran conflict, in which Trump later brokered a ceasefire, and as his administration works to end conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine.

The seizure of large parts of eastern Congo by the M23 rebel group has killed more than 7,000 people this year alone and displaced more than 450,000 others, the DRC’s government said in February. The area is home to the DRC’s valuable mineral deposits.

The U.N. Security Council called on Rwanda to end its support for the rebels in a February resolution that urged the two countries to reengage in diplomatic talks. Rwanda denies backing the rebels.

The Biden administration sought to resolve the conflict but was unable to secure a deal before the one-term president left office.

Trump’s administration hopes the resolution will bring about an end to a broader conflict that has resulted in the displacement of more than 7 million people. Conflict in eastern Congo over in the three decades since the Rwandan genocide has led to an estimated 6 million deaths.

More than 18,000 Congolese refugees resettled in the U.S., in 2023, according to the Department of Homeland Security. It was the leading country of nationality for refugees accepted by the United States that year and over the preceding decade.

State Department deputy spokesman Tommy Piggott said at a June 26 briefing the signing is a “significant milestone” but “peace on paper must be matched by implementation on the ground.”

The State Department spokesman said the agreement includes respect for territorial integrity, a prohibition of hostilities, disarmament, the return of refugees and internally displaced persons and a regional economic framework.

The deal is central to the administration’s approach to conflict reduction around the globe. By enabling and facilitating economic investment in war-torn countries such the DRC and Ukraine, the Trump administration hopes it can unlock lasting peace agreements.

“A durable peace in the Great Lakes region will open the door for greater U.S. and broader Western investment, which will bring about economic opportunities and prosperity,” Rubio said on April 25 as he announced the framework agreement. “It’s, as they call it, a win-win for everyone involved.”

Businessman Massad Boulos, the administration’s senior advisor for Africa and father-in-law of the president’s younger daughter, Tiffany Trump, is working to secure a critical minerals deal with the DRC that could billions in U.S. investment to the country.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has substantial reserves of gold, cobalt, and high-grade copper that have been inaccessible due to the security risks and underdeveloped infrastructure, the International Trade Administration says.

Cobalt is used to make the rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that are used in electric vehicles, laptops, tablets and smartphones.