In a brief statement shared on Wednesday morning, U.S. Senior Advisor for Africa Massad Boulos said the negotiations focus on deepening cooperation in energy, infrastructure, transparent mineral supply chains, health, tourism, and trade.
He emphasised that the REIF 'will reinforce peace and benefit millions across the Great Lakes region, helping communities build a stake in lasting stability and shared prosperity.'
The ongoing talks mark a critical step in translating the commitments made under the Washington Declaration of Principles in April and the Peace Agreement signed on June 27, 2025, into concrete economic action.
Anchored in shared prosperity
The REIF is designed as a forward-looking platform that seeks to unlock investment, dismantle the economic drivers of conflict, and create opportunities for industrial development and job creation. Both Rwanda and the DRC have pledged to ensure that revenues from natural resources benefit local communities, while working to formalise artisanal mining and attract responsible global investment.
The framework's priorities span a wide range of sectors. Rwanda and the DRC have committed to reforming the mineral sector by eradicating illicit trade and building a transparent, world-class mining industry.
In energy, the two countries will focus on completing the Ruzizi III hydropower project, exploiting Lake Kivu's methane gas sustainably, and expanding electricity access. Infrastructure development is also central, with planned investments in transport, logistics, warehousing, ICT, and projects linked to the U.S.-backed Lobito Corridor.
The partnership extends to conservation and tourism through coordinated park management, biodiversity protection, and a harmonised revenue-sharing model. In public health, both governments will strengthen cross-border responses to disease outbreaks, share information, and collaborate on health research and innovation.
Rwanda's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olivier Nduhungirehe, previously told Parliament that while economic cooperation is a central pillar of the Washington peace agreement, separate frameworks would follow. The REIF now provides the foundation for those agreements, setting out a roadmap from principle to execution.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/u-s-hosts-final-rwanda-drc-negotiations-on-economic-cooperation
