Congo, Rwanda Sign Minerals Pact Amid Peace Efforts

The recent agreement signed in Washington between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, witnessed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is being promoted as a step towards peace in the mineral-rich Great Lakes region, with both countries pledging to halt military support to armed groups and to finalize a peace accord by May 2025. The deal includes plans for a joint security mechanism and aims to attract significant U.S. investment in Congo's vast reserves of minerals vital for technology and electric vehicles. However, analysts and some observers suggest that the primary motivation behind the agreement is economic, with the focus on securing resource access for the U.S. and Western investors rather than addressing the root causes of conflict. Past attempts at peace, including ceasefire calls and international mediation efforts, have failed to produce lasting stability, raising questions about the effectiveness of this latest initiative. Rwanda and the U.S. are also engaged in separate discussions over a potential minerals deal, emphasizing the economic underpinnings of the diplomacy. While the accord raises hopes for reduced violence, skepticism remains about whether it will lead to genuine and durable peace.