The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Félix Tshisekedi, and his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, will sign a peace agreement on December 4 in Washington, D.C., Reuters reports, citing DRC leader's spokesperson Tina Salama and two diplomatic sources.
According to Salama, the presidents of the DRC and Rwanda are expected to ratify the peace agreement signed by the countries' foreign ministers in June, as well as the Regional Economic Integration Framework (REIF) previously agreed upon in November.
"The President has always pursued regional integration, but respect for sovereignty is non-negotiable and a necessary condition for it," said the DRC leader's spokesperson.
Additionally, during a meeting with the Congolese diaspora in Serbia on November 28, Tshisekedi stated that the entry into force of the regional integration agreement is impossible without the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from DRC territory.
"I am going to Washington to approve the agreement signed with Rwanda under the auspices of the United States, which has already been made public in full transparency. Regarding the regional integration agreement, know that there is nothing new in it. Respect for agreements implies respect for our country's sovereignty, the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from Congolese territory, and the restoration of mutual trust. Regional trade is impossible without peace and restored trust," Tshisekedi said.
Earlier in November, the DRC and Rwanda reached an agreement on economic cooperation—the Regional Economic Integration Framework (REIF)—which is expected to take effect after the conditions of the peace treaty between the countries are fulfilled.
In recent years, the main source of tension between the DRC and Rwanda has been the activity of the rebel group "March 23 Movement" (M23) in eastern DRC. Kinshasa accuses Kigali of supporting M23, while Rwanda denies this. In early 2025, M23 rebels intensified their activities in eastern DRC. Authorities reported the capture of key cities in the North and South Kivu provinces.
In June, the foreign ministers of the DRC and Rwanda signed a peace agreement in Washington, D.C. It includes provisions on respecting territorial integrity and a prohibition on military action. In September, the parties agreed to begin implementing security measures under the peace agreement starting October 1.
In November, the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and rebels from the coalition of groups, the "Alliance of the Congo River" (AFC) and "March 23 Movement" (M23), signed a framework agreement to resolve the conflict, under which the parties commit to adhering to the ceasefire in eastern DRC and jointly working on the text of a final peace settlement.
