In a major diplomatic development, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda have signed a declaration of principles in Washington—under the watchful eye of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The agreement, signed on April 25, is being called a milestone toward reviving the stalled peace process.The declaration calls for respect of sovereignty, ending support for armed groups, and finding real solutions for refugees and displaced .Rwanda says it is currently hosting over 100,000 Congolese refugees.But even as the ink dried, the tone was frosty—no handshake between the ministers. Still, both sides acknowledged the significance of the U.S. role. Rwanda’s Olivier Nduhungirehe credited President Trump with shifting the tone of diplomacy, linking peace efforts to economic partnerships and U.S. investment in the region.The deal even includes plans for regional economic cooperation—focused on mining and infrastructure—with U.S. companies expected to play a major role.







Dr. Oluwole Ojawale, a leading peace and conflict scholar, believes there’s a strong chance this U.S.-brokered dialogue could actually lead to a formal peace agreement. According to him, ‘the possibilities are very high—largely because of the standing of the mediator, who carries significant influence on both parties.’With Washington pushing for a regional reset—and the mineral stakes growing by the day—the world is watching to see whether diplomacy will finally triumph over decades of distrust.