Congo, Rwanda leaders affirm commitment to Trump-backed peace deal

Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi affirmed commitments to an economic integration compact agreed last month, and to a U.S.-brokered peace deal reached in June. They were also due to sign an agreement on critical minerals.

The signing handed Trump the latest in a series of made-for-television diplomatic victories, in this case one at odds with the bloody situation on the ground. Washington wants access to a spectrum of natural resources in Congo and is scrambling globally to counter China's dominance in critical minerals.

"We're settling a war that's been going on for decades," Trump said. "They spent a lot of time killing each other, and now they're going to spend a lot of time hugging, holding hands, and taking advantage of the United States of America economically - like every other country does."

Sitting before a "Delivering Peace" backdrop at a peace institute that his administration unofficially renamed after Trump, the African leaders signed and exchanged documents with the U.S. president.

"Thank you for putting a certain name on that building," Trump told Secretary of State Marco Rubio, adding that it was a "great honor."

As the leaders signed, clashes between Rwanda-backed M23 rebels and the Congolese army were reported throughout South Kivu province. A spokesperson for M23 accused government troops of bombing several civilian areas.

M23 seized the two largest cities in eastern Congo earlier this year, raising fears of a wider war. Analysts say U.S. diplomacy has paused the escalation of fighting but has failed to resolve core issues.

A White House official said the deal signing "recommits the parties to the peace process" and reflected "months of intensive diplomacy led by President Trump, who made it clear to both the DRC and Rwanda that the status quo was unacceptable."