"There are deals within the deal” appears to be the main reason peace remains elusive, despite a formal agreement being signed. Fighting has flared up once again in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) between the M23 rebel group and government forces, just a day after US President Donald Trump hosted DRC President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Washington for a peace deal aimed at ending decades-long conflict.
While Kagame and Tshisekedi signed the peace agreement, Trump reportedly signed separate mineral deals with both countries, highlighting the complicated mix of diplomacy and economic interests.
The warring sides blamed each other for Friday’s renewed clashes. The M23 group stated that 23 people were killed and several others wounded in bombardments carried out by the DRC army.
The peace agreement aimed at ending decades of conflict in the region,seeks to establish a permanent ceasefire, disarm rebel groups, facilitate the return of refugees, and create a framework for economic development.
Trump commended both leaders for demonstrating “courage and determination” in finalizing the agreement, which aims to end conflict in eastern Congo—a region rich in critical minerals. He also announced that the United States would sign its own bilateral agreements with Rwanda and the DRC to “unlock new opportunities” for American companies to access these resources. “We’ll be involved with sending some of our biggest and greatest U.S. companies over to the two countries. Everybody’s going to make a lot of money,” Trump said, highlighting the strategic importance of rare earths for manufacturing fighter jets, cell phones, and other technologies.
President Tshisekedi and President Kagame expressed their commitment to honoring the deal. Kagame praised Trump as a “pragmatic” and “even-handed” leader who seized an opportunity to contribute to peace. The White House described the agreement as “historic,” noting that it builds on a prior accord signed by the two countries’ foreign ministers in June.
However, the region remains volatile. Ahead of the summit, clashes escalated in resource-rich eastern DRC between government forces and rebels, including the M23 group backed by Rwanda. The DRC army accused the rebels of attempting to sabotage the peace process, while M23 claimed the army had launched an offensive in violation of the ceasefire.
The Central African nation has been plagued by decades-long fighting involving over 100 armed groups. The M23 rebels recently captured key cities, including Goma and Bukavu, exacerbating one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with millions displaced.
The peace deal, brokered with months of diplomatic efforts involving the US, African Union, and Qatar, seeks not only to stabilize the region but also to create economic opportunities for all involved parties.
Trump emphasized that access to the DRC and Rwanda’s critical mineral reserves would help the United States reduce dependence on China, which currently dominates global rare earth production and processing.
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