The United States is seeking to arrange a peace agreement between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with a signing ceremony scheduled for the White House in about two months.
Along with the treaty, the United States plans to broker two major mining deals, one with each country, which may generate billions of dollars in Western investment.
The effort for a peace agreement comes as Rwandan-backed M23 rebels make significant territorial gains in eastern Congo, escalating a long-running conflict in an area rich in high-demand commodities such as gold and tantalum.
While many sources have documented Rwanda’s purported support for the rebels, Kigali has continuously refuted the allegations.
According to Boulos, both countries are scheduled to present separate peace deal drafts today.
These drafts are part of a larger peace process launched in Washington last week, and they constitute the most serious diplomatic effort yet to stop the violent upheaval in the mineral-rich Great Lakes region.
Boulos also announced that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will host a high-level conference in Washington in mid-May with Rwandan and Congolese foreign ministers.
The purpose of this summit is to finalize the peace agreement and establish a framework for economic cooperation.
However, Boulos emphasized that the final agreement hinges on both countries addressing each other’s pressing security concerns and on concluding bilateral economic deals with Washington.
