US President Donald Trump and the leaders of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo signed a peace deal Thursday, even as fresh violence raised questions about the accord to end one of Africa's longest wars.
Trump said the United States was also signing deals on critical minerals with the two countries as he hosted Paul Kagame, the longtime president of Rwanda, and Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi in Washington.
"I think it's going to be a great miracle," Trump said after the signing – held in a peace institute which his administration has just renamed after him.
During the ceremony at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace, President Trump described the day as “a great moment for Africa and the world,” expressing strong confidence in both leaders.
The accord was initially signed in June by the countries’ foreign ministers, with Trump hailing it as “a remarkable triumph.” Presidents Kagame and Tshisekedi have now formally endorsed it.
Leaders from Kenya, Angola, Burundi, Togo, Uganda, as well as representatives from Qatar, the UAE, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, attended the event.
President Kagame began by thanking African Heads of State and Government present, the representative of Qatar, and especially President Trump and his administration for making the agreement possible.
He noted that for more than 30 years, various mediation efforts had failed to resolve the region’s crises, but Trump’s approach had created “a new and effective opportunity.”
He further appreciated U.S. Secretary of State Marco Antonio Rubio and Trump’s Africa adviser Massad Boulos for their significant role, emphasizing that without their commitment, this milestone would not have been achieved.
President Kagame added that the success of the agreement depends on Rwanda and DRC themselves. “If this agreement does not yield the results it should, responsibility will not lie with President Trump—it will lie with us.”
President Tshisekedi described the accords as the beginning of a new chapter of peace and friendship, stressing that both nations are committed to fully implementing all provisions.
President Trump praised both leaders for prioritizing peace over rivalry. Jokingly, he added: “Look at them—now they’re friends.” In a post on X, the White House called the signing “a historic moment for peace.”
President Kagame and Tshisekedi Sign Peace Accord in the presence of President Trump