US receives draft peace proposal from Rwanda and DRC

The United States of America on Monday, May 5, welcomed a draft peace proposal that is set to be finalized and signed by Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to resolve the ongoing conflict in the eastern part of the DRC and across the wider Great Lakes Region. This was confirmed by U.S. President Donald Trump’s Senior Advisor for Africa, Massad Boulos, who described it as an important step toward fulfilling the commitments outlined in the Declaration of Principles. “I welcome the draft text on a peace proposal received from both the DRC and Rwanda. This is an important step

The United States of America on Monday, May 5, welcomed a draft peace proposal that is set to be finalized and signed by Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to resolve the ongoing conflict in the eastern part of the DRC and across the wider Great Lakes Region. This was confirmed by U.S. President Donald Trump’s Senior Advisor for Africa, Massad Boulos, who described it as an important step toward fulfilling the commitments outlined in the Declaration of Principles. “I welcome the draft text on a peace proposal received from both the DRC and Rwanda. This is an important step toward fulfilling the commitments made in the Declaration of Principles, and I count on their continued commitment to achieving peace,” he wrote on X. The agreement is expected to be signed by President Paul Kagame and his Congolese counterpart, Félix Tshisekedi, in the presence of U.S. President Donald Trump. The signing ceremony will also be attended by leaders from countries that mediated the crisis, including President William Ruto of Kenya, President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe, President Faure Gnassingbé of Togo (representing the African Union), and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim ibn Hamad Al Thani. In addition to the peace agreement, Rwanda and the DRC are expected to sign separate bilateral economic agreements with the United States. On April 25, Rwanda and the DRC signed a Declaration of Principles, marking the beginning of a peace process aimed at restoring stability not only in eastern DRC but also across the broader Great Lakes region. These developments followed a round of talks held in Doha, Qatar, involving delegations from the U.S., Rwanda, the DRC, Qatar, Togo, and France. Before the final agreement is signed, the U.S. has emphasized that both parties must meet several preconditions. Among them, the DRC must fully address internal security challenges, including the disbandment of the genocidal FDLR. Additionally, the DRC is expected to implement internal governance reforms, ensuring the fair distribution of national resources across all its regions.