US President Donald Trump is set to host a crucial peace summit in Washington on Thursday, bringing together the leaders of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to sign a historic peace agreement.
The meeting aims to build on a US-brokered peace deal reached in June and signed by the two countries’ foreign ministers, as well as an economic framework agreed upon in November. This comes after the M23 rebel group, backed by Rwanda, staged a lightning advance in eastern DRC, seizing the region’s two largest cities and raising fears of a wider war.
Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame recently expressed frustration, stating that the DRC was delaying the peace-signing process. However, DRC President Felix Tshisekedi confirmed his attendance at the ceremony, saying, “I will go to Washington to ratify the agreement signed with Rwanda with the facilitation of the United States.”
The agreement is expected to focus on security guarantees, including the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from DRC territory and a ceasefire between the DRC military and M23 rebels. The White House has announced that the signing ceremony will take place on December 4, 2025.