On the same occasion, additional agreements focusing on economic cooperation between the United States and both African countries are also expected to be signed. If all proceeds as planned, significant American investments are anticipated in Rwanda and the DRC.
The U.S. government has stated that this peace agreement represents a vital step forward and will offer a long-term solution to the prolonged instability in the Great Lakes region.
Rwanda's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olivier Nduhungirehe, confirmed to IGIHE that both parties agreed to submit their respective drafts of the agreement by Friday, May 2. He also disclosed that the final signing will take place in June at the White House.
On Thursday evening, U.S. Senior Advisor for Africa, Massad Boulos, announced that both countries had made significant progress on the draft and confirmed they would meet the Friday deadline.
His comments followed a round of talks held in Doha, Qatar, involving delegations from the U.S., Rwanda, the DRC, and Qatar. Rwanda was represented by Brig Gen Jean Paul Nyirubutama, Deputy Director General of the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS), and Brig Gen Patrick Karuretwa, the Head of International Military Cooperation.
After the draft agreements are submitted, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to meet again with foreign ministers from the DRC to finalize a unified version of the document. Once finalized, preparations will begin for the official signing ceremony at the White House.
The event, anticipated within the next two months, may also include other heads of state who have played key roles in efforts to address insecurity in eastern DRC.
Before the agreement is signed, the U.S. has emphasized that both parties must first meet several preconditions. Among them, the DRC must fully address internal security challenges, including disbanding the FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda).
The DRC is also expected to implement internal governance reforms, including ensuring fair distribution of national resources across its regions.
In addition to the peace accord, both Rwanda and the DRC are expected to sign separate bilateral economic agreements with the United States.
To oversee the implementation of these conditions, a monitoring committee was formed on Wednesday. It includes representatives from the U.S., Qatar, France, and Togoâ€"the latter acting on behalf of the African Union.
Negotiations previously conducted under the EAC-SADC framework have now been formally placed under the leadership of the African Union, with Togo taking the lead in facilitating the process going forward.
IGIHE
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/rwanda-and-drc-to-sign-peace-deal-before-president-trump
