Congo and Rwanda have submitted a draft peace proposal as part of a U.S.-led initiative aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo. U.S. President Donald Trump’s senior adviser for Africa and the Middle East, Massad Boulos, announced the receipt of the drafts from both nations, calling it “an important step” towards peace.
The conflict escalated earlier this year when Rwanda-backed M23 rebels seized key cities, including Goma and Bukavu. The fighting has resulted in approximately 7,000 deaths and displaced over 7 million people, exacerbating one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises. Eastern Congo is rich in critical minerals like cobalt, gold, and copper.
The peace proposal is seen as a pathway to unlock substantial Western investment in the region’s mining sector. Rwanda’s Foreign Minister stated that negotiations for a final peace agreement will continue later this month, with hopes that the presidents of Rwanda and Congo will sign the accord by mid-June at the White House, in the presence of President Trump and regional leaders.
The draft peace proposal follows an April meeting in Washington, where Congo and Rwanda pledged to work towards a peace deal under the oversight of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
