Rwanda’s president says he’s optimistic about US-brokered peace deal

KIGALI, Rwanda

Rwandan President Paul Kagame said Thursday that he remains optimistic about the signing of a US-brokered peace agreement aimed at ending the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, despite delays.

Media reports citing sources in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s president’s office indicated this week that Kagame and his Congolese counterpart Felix Tshisekedi are expected to meet at the beginning of December in Washington, DC to sign a final peace deal mediated by the US.

The two leaders’ meeting was originally meant to take place in October. However, it failed to take place after Congo reportedly at the last minute objected to the signing, citing some contentious issues.

A new meeting between the two leaders rescheduled on Nov. 13 also failed to take place.

Addressing a press conference in the capital Kigali, Kagame said Rwanda is not responsible for the delays, placing the blame on the Congolese government.

“What is delaying I can assure you does not come from Rwanda, that one I can confirm. It comes from somewhere else,” he said.

“For us, we have been here waiting. They are saying that it may be at the beginning of December that we are going to meet in Washington...We are still hopeful because those bringing us together have the intention,” he said.

The Rwandan leader asserted that he is always optimistic about peace.

“Until those people concerned directly commit to achieving the end result, which is stability, peace and security, even the most powerful will remain wondering which way to go,” Kagame said.

The expected meeting is to build on a peace deal signed in June by the Rwandan and Congolese foreign ministers that called for a cessation of hostilities between the two neighboring countries’ armies.

Violence has been raging in eastern Congo for decades, leading to thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions of people, according to Kinshasa and the UN. The conflict reignited in 2021 when the M23 rebel group reemerged, launching an offensive in Congo.

The fighting with government forces quickly escalated amid allegations by Kinshasa and others that Rwanda is backing the M23, a claim which Kigali has consistently denied.