After Decades of War, DR Congo and Rwanda Sign Peace Treaty

In a ceremony held on June 27, 2025 at the U.S. State Department’s Treaty Room, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda signed a historic, U.S.–mediated peace agreement aimed at ending decades of bloody conflict in eastern Congo. It was signed by Congolese Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner and her Rwandan counterpart Olivier Nduhungirehe, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and  President Donald Trump present, signaling strong American backing. 

The conflict between the two nations can be traced back to the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, after which members of the genocidal Hutu militias fled into eastern Congo. These groups embedded themselves in Congolese territory, continuing attacks and creating security threats for Rwanda.

In response, Rwanda supported armed interventions in Congo both directly and indirectly often by backing rebel groups such as the M23 Movement, a Tutsi-led militia accused of war crimes. Congo, in turn, has long accused Rwanda of exploiting its mineral-rich regions and destabilizing the area under the guise of self-defense.

This back-and-forth involvement evolved into a longstanding proxy war, with hundreds of armed groups operating in eastern DRC. Over the past few years, the resurgence of M23, which captured territory in North Kivu, further strained relations. The Congolese government openly accused Rwanda of backing the group, while Rwanda pointed to the ongoing presence of the FDLR, a Hutu militia, as a direct threat to its national security.

The result? Thousands of deaths, millions displaced, and one of the most prolonged humanitarian crises in modern African history.

After years of failed peace talks and deteriorating relations, international actors began stepping in more aggressively. Earlier in 2025, Qatar hosted informal discussions between Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi, laying the groundwork for negotiations.

The breakthrough came when both sides agreed to U.S. mediation, led by Secretary of State Rubio under the Trump administration. A preliminary “Declaration of Principles” was signed in April, and this paved the way for the formal peace treaty signed on June 27th.

The agreement includes a commitment to:

• Mutual respect for territorial sovereignty

• Withdrawal of all foreign forces from eastern Congo within 90 days

• Joint efforts to disarm rebel groups, including M23 and the FDLR

• Establishment of a bilateral monitoring and security commission, with observers from the U.S., Qatar, and the African Union

While the agreement is being celebrated as a diplomatic triumph, skepticism remains high especially among civil society groups and displaced communities in eastern Congo. Notably, the M23 rebels were not part of the peace talks, and they have rejected the deal, calling it irrelevant without their inclusion. Many human rights activists also point out that the deal does not include mechanisms for justice or accountability. No provisions were made for prosecuting war crimes, and there’s little clarity on how the millions displaced by violence will be resettled or compensated.

The next three months will be pivotal. Kigali must withdraw troops, Kinshasa must neutralize the FDLR, and both must establish joint security mechanisms. Success could usher in lasting peace, renewed investment, and recovery for over seven million displaced people. 

For now, hope cautiously returns to a region long defined by violence. If implemented in full, the deal could mark the beginning of a new era, one in which diplomacy, not militia warfare, defines the future of Central Africa.