Massad Boulos, senior Africa adviser to US President Donald Trump, said on Thursday, May 15, he had discussed with President Paul Kagame and President of Congo, Felix Tusisekedi, about the development of a peace agreement proposal scheduled to be signed in June.
Also Read: US receives Rwanda-DR Congo Peace Proposal
“This week, as we worked to secure a path to peace, I had constructive conversations with both President Tsushisekedi and President Kagame,” Boulos told X-Post.
The expected peace agreement seeks to resolve ongoing conflicts in eastern Congo, with an emphasis on addressing the root causes of decades of unstable crisis. These include the presence of Dr. Congo from FDLR, supported by Kinshasa, a group founded by the remains of the perpetrators of the 1994 genocide against Tutsi.
The agreement, which is expected to be inked to the White House in June by Kagame and Tshisekedi, will be witnessed by President Trump.
Also Read: Dr. Congo: Kagames are heavy on us, and peace efforts through Qatar
Meeting separately with Kagame and Tshiseekedi in early April, Boulos added that the US government will provide both sides with the first draft of the peace agreement and will work with the parties to repeat the agreement.
“Resolving the differences over the years is a tough job and we are committed to seeing this through this. We look forward to further involvement in coming to the solution,” he said.
On May 5, the US government received opinions on the peace agreement from Rwanda and Dr. Congo.
In addition to the US, Qatar has also played a role in shaping a new direction for Dr. Congo’s situation towards peace. This has transformed into the EAC-SADC initiative, in addition to African union-led efforts, including the current Merseyed Nairobi and Luanda processes.
Under Qatar mediation, Kinshasa recently began discussions with the AFC/M23 movement, which Tshisekedi had previously refused to talk to.
Also Read: Trump Advisor says FDLR is “a key element of Doctor of Peace Congo”
Speaking at Gabon’s Africa CEO Forum on May 12, Kagame noted the positive contributions from various players supporting Africa to develop and resolve conflicts. He added that Africans must take full ownership and responsibility for their future.
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“In any case, even if we can do things ourselves, we still need to bring in a partner who has what we can offer,” he said. “But we need to define what direction we take as Africa, which is not entirely dependent on what these people are contributing.”
Also Read: nduhungirehe: The Washington Declaration opens the door to Doctor Congo’s peace.”
In addition to the expected peace agreement to be signed next month, Rwanda and Dr. Congo will sign separate bilateral economic agreements with the US government.
Before signing a peace agreement, the United States emphasizes that both parties must first meet some assumptions.
Among them, Dr. Congo must fully address internal security challenges and Rwandan security concerns, including the dissolution of Genocidal FDLR.
Furthermore, Dr. Congo is expected to implement internal governance reforms, including ensuring a fair distribution of national resources across the region.
On April 25, foreign ministers of Rwanda and the Congo signed the Declaration of Principles, marking the beginning of a peace process aimed at restoring stability not only in the eastern Congo, but also in the wider Great Lakes regions that have long suffered from the outflow of conflict.
In the declaration, both sides reaffirmed their respect for each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and committed to resolving conflicts through diplomacy and dialogue.
