President William Ruto
has hailed the Washington Accord signed on Thursday as a hope to ending the
three-decade conflict in Eastern DRC.
The Accord was signed at
the Donald J Trump United States Institute of Peace in Washington, DC.
The peace deal was between
President Félix Tshisekedi of the DRC and his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame.
“The Washington Accord now stands as the most
credible and hopeful pathway to ending three decades of conflict and
inaugurating a new chapter of friendship, cooperation, and mutual progress in
our region,” Ruto said.
He thanked President
Trump for his steadfast commitment and decisive leadership in helping bring
this historic agreement to fruition.
Ruto also honoured the “invaluable
contributions” of the East African Community, the Southern African Development
Community, and all mediators whose tireless efforts shepherded the peace
process to this defining moment.
The President urged all
parties involved in the peace deal to uphold its terms and adhere to its
guidelines, for the sake of the victims in the region.
“We now call upon all parties to faithfully uphold and implement the terms of the Accord so that the people of Eastern DRC may return to their homes, rebuild their lives, and reclaim the peace, dignity, and hope that have long been denied to them,” he said.
President William Ruto with his counterparts Félix Tshisekedi
(DRC), Paul Kagame (Rwanda) and Donald Trump (US) during the signing of a
peace deal at the Donald J Trump United States Institute of Peace in
Washington, DC, on December 5, 2025/PCSHighlighting the ordeal, Ruto noted that the protracted conflict in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo has endured far beyond what humanity can reasonably bear.
For decades, it has claimed innumerable lives and driven countless families from the safety of their homes.
He pointed out that a generation of children has been stripped of its innocence, deprived of education, and denied the simple promise of a stable childhood.
Additionally, the normal commercial activity and cross-border trade- lifelines of regional prosperity- have been gravely disrupted, stalling development and deepening hardship.
This prolonged suffering, Ruto said, is a profound injustice to the people of Eastern DRC, who deserve lasting stability and the chance to build a peaceful, dignified, and prosperous future for themselves and their nation.
Ruto urged Trump to also help bring peace to Sudan, which has been war-torn for over two years now.
"As we celebrate progress in the DRC, we must not look away from other crises. We ask President Trump, in his quest for global peace and solidarity, to support efforts to resolve the unfolding human catastrophe in Sudan," he said.
Ahead of the US summit, there was an escalation in fighting in resource-rich eastern DR Congo between government forces and rebels believed to be backed by Rwanda.
DR Congo's army accused its rivals of attempting to "sabotage" the peace process, but the M23 rebels said the army had launched an offensive in breach of a ceasefire.
At the start of the year, the M23 seized large parts of eastern DR Congo in an offensive that saw thousands killed and many more forced from their homes.
Trump said the peace ceremony was a "great day" for Africa and the world.
"I have a lot of confidence in both leaders," Trump added.
"We'll keep these commitments. I know they're going to keep them and follow through on the agreement and create a much brighter future for the people of their countries."
