Kenya has lauded the peace agreement signed between Rwanda
and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in Washington, DC, on April 25,
2025.
The accord, witnessed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, commits both nations to respect each other's sovereignty and to draft a comprehensive peace deal by May 2.
Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary, Korir Sing’oei, commended the United States for its leadership in facilitating this milestone.
He described the agreement as a critical step toward achieving peace, stability, and shared prosperity in Eastern DRC and the broader Great Lakes region.
“Our efforts have consistently aimed to realise, through dialogue, a permanent restoration of friendly relations between Rwanda and DRC via the Luanda track,” Sing’oei stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
“Equally, Kenya has steadfastly supported direct engagement between the DRC and M23, particularly under the Nairobi process. It is encouraging that this approach, now underway in Doha, has a real chance of success.”
Sing’oei emphasised that dialogue remains the preferred method for resolving conflicts, including the ongoing situation in Sudan.
The agreement comes amid ongoing violence in Eastern DRC, where Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have seized significant mineral-rich territories, displacing hundreds of thousands of civilians.
In response, the DRC government sought assistance from the U], offering access to its mineral resources in exchange for support.
Hundreds of thousands of civilians have been displaced in recent months as Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have seized swathes of mineral-rich territory in eastern DR Congo.
After losing territory, the government in Kinshasa turned to the US for help in exchange for access to the minerals.
Relations have been so poor between DR Congo and Rwanda that
the meeting in Washington and a promise to resolve disputes through dialogue are a sign of progress.
The text of the agreement says both sides now expect significant investments facilitated by the US government and the private sector.
The foreign ministers "commit to coordinate through existing channels to generate an initial draft peace agreement for the Participants' mutual review no later than May 2", the agreement said.
“The two countries mutually acknowledge each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity and commit to a pathway to resolve their disputes by peaceful means grounded in diplomacy and negotiation rather than hostile force or rhetoric."
