President Donald Trump welcomed the foreign ministers of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the White House on Friday to celebrate a U.S.-brokered peace agreement aimed at ending one of the deadliest ongoing conflicts in the world.
“Today, the violence and destruction comes to an end, and the entire region begins a new chapter of hope and opportunity, harmony and prosperity, and peace,” Trump declared in the Oval Office, calling the war “the biggest war on the planet since World War II” and a “shame.”
The agreement, signed earlier in the day at the State Department by Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe and Congolese Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner, was facilitated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. It requires the withdrawal of Rwandan forces from eastern Congo, the creation of a joint security framework within 30 days, and a regional economic integration plan within 90 days.
Vice President JD Vance praised the deal, saying it marks the start of “a new story” for Central Africa. “My children will look at this moment as the beginning of a future filled with prosperity and peace,” he said.
Rubio applauded both nations for “choosing the harder path, which is peace,” and praised Trump’s leadership, stating, “America should be very proud that the number one voice for peace in the world today is our president.”
As part of the agreement, both nations also committed to attracting investment to the mineral-rich provinces of North and South Kivu — regions with vast reserves of cobalt, copper, lithium, gold, and tantalum. Trump confirmed that American companies will secure significant access to those resources. “We’re going to get a lot of the mineral rights,” he said.
While celebrating the deal, Trump made clear that the U.S. expects accountability. “You better do what is in that agreement, because if somebody fails to do that, bad things happen,” he warned.
The conflict has its roots in long-standing ethnic and political tensions dating back to the 1994 Rwandan genocide. The latest escalation began when Rwanda deployed 7,000 troops into eastern Congo to support the M23 rebel group, which had seized key territory. Rwanda claims its actions were in self-defense, citing threats from Hutu militants operating inside Congo.
The fighting has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands since the beginning of the year.
To commemorate the peace deal, Trump signed letters to the heads of state of Rwanda and Congo congratulating them and inviting them to Washington for a future state visit.