MONTROVIA – The Trump administration is free to use “all diplomatic and economic tools” to advance the causes of peace in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, senior African adviser Massad Boulos said in an online briefing Thursday after a visit to the region’s Fornations.
Boiulos said the trip showed that President Donald Trump, a “fresh approach,” is adopting it towards Africa. He said that when M23 pulled the troops from the town of Walikal, located in North Kivu, the consultations had already brought about “significant security advancements.” He welcomed the “recent dialogue” between the Congolese government and the M23 rebel group, calling it “very fruitful at every count.”
In addition to the DRC, Boulos traveled to Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda. There, talks with leaders there focused on continuing international efforts to end the battle that killed more than 7,000 people and evacuated hundreds of thousands since the start of the year. He also met Nigerian President Bora Ahmed Tinubu on a route to the United States in Paris.
Boulos was appointed to a senior advisor post on April 1st, two days before he left for Kinshasa. In December, Trump tapped Boulos as his advisor on Arab and Middle East issues. Boulos, a Lebanese-American and Republican fundraiser whose son is married to Trump’s daughter Tiffany, has served as CEO of the Score Group for 30 years. The CEO of Score Group operates a Lagos-based dealership that assembles and sells automobiles, trucks, construction and mining, and assembles and sells parts of Fadoul Group, which is part of Brukina Fadoul Fadur Fadur Fadur Fadur Fadur Fadur. To the senior booth.
Boulos said the discussions with Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and other domestic stakeholders focus on the potential mineral trade between the US and the DRC. “We have a lot of discussion about both investment and the infrastructure that comes with it,” he said. The discussion includes the need for reforms that “ensure full transparency.”
“I don’t think that American companies are saying they’re going to be the absolute best partner,” he said. “Whatever the US does with private sector investment and government support, it will definitely be a lucrative proposal.”
American officials reiterated the need to respect Congolese sovereignty, calling on Rwanda to “stop all military support for the M23 and withdraw all Rwandan troops from DRC territory.” The Trump administration has a variety of tools that can be used freely, such as “they can be used when necessary to achieve “permanent peace” in the region.”
The Eastern DRC has been caught up in conflict for decades as various armed groups fight for control of mineral-rich regions. The renewed battle between the Congolese forces and the M23 escalated in January 2025 when the rebels reached their peak with the capture of the regional capital, Goma. African and Western leaders, as well as the United Nations, have accused Rwanda of supporting rebels. Rwanda denys the claim, saying it is only involved in efforts to protect the border.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently called with both Rwandan President Paul Kagame and DRC Tshisekedi, Boulos said.
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In March, Tshisekedi said the Congo was open to mineral trade and expressed hope that cooperation could be used to quell its own armed conflict. Congo is the world’s largest producer of cobalt, essential for the production of batteries for vehicles and smartphones. The US envoy said he and the Congolese president “chart the path forward,” but did not provide details. He added that increasing US private sector investment in DRC “particularly in the mining sector” is a shared goal of both countries, and that a “stable environment” is needed to make this possible.
In response to questions during the briefing about Africa “more leaning towards China and Russia,” the Deputy Director of African Affairs, who accompanied Boulos on the trip, encouraged investment and emphasized that it would “enhance the benefits of industry and technology,” and that it would “help the African continent.”
