Africa-Press – Rwanda. Editor’s Note: The ministers of foreign affairs of Rwanda and DR Congo on Friday, April 25, signed the Declaration of Principles for Peace, in a ceremony witnessed by United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington D.C. Below are the details of the agreement as published on US State Department website.
Declaration of Principles
Between the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Government of the Republic of Rwanda (the Participants), in support of a pathway to peace, stability, and integrated economic development in the eastern DRC region and the resumption of normal bilateral relations between the Participants. Signature of this document affirms the political commitment of the Participants set forth herein.
SOVEREIGNTY, TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY, AND GOVERNANCE
The Participants mutually acknowledge each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and commit to a pathway to resolve their disputes by peaceful means grounded in diplomacy and negotiation rather than hostile force or
The Participants mutually acknowledge each other’s established territorial borders and commit to refrain from actions or rhetoric that threaten or question the validity of those
The Participants acknowledge each Participant’s sovereign right to govern and administer its own territory in a manner that does not infringe on the other Participant’s sovereignty or territorial
The Participants commit to refrain from interfering in each other’s internal affairs.
SECURITY CONCERNS
The Participants acknowledge they both have legitimate security concerns in their shared border region and commit to address such concerns in a manner consistent with both Participants’ sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The Participants acknowledge that peace, security, and stability are essential to increase legitimate commercial trade and broader regional economic cooperation.
The Participants acknowledge their shared interest in limiting the proliferation of non- state armed groups within and across their borders and commit to refrain from providing state military support to non-state armed
The Participants commit to explore the establishment of a joint security coordination mechanism to counter non-state armed groups and criminal organizations that threaten the Participants’ legitimate security concerns.
REGIONAL ECONOMIC INTEGRATION FRAMEWORK
The Participants commit to a phased regional economic integration framework building on existing efforts, such as the ICGLR, COMESA, and the EAC, that provides both Participants with expanded foreign trade and investment and introduces greater transparency to ensure both Participants prosper from the region’s natural resources through mutually beneficial partnerships and investment opportunities.
The Participants expect this framework to be accompanied by the launch or expansion of significant investments, including those facilitated by the S. government and U.S. private sector, aimed at transforming the regional economy to the benefit of all participating countries.
The Participants commit to explore options to link this framework to other international or regional economic development initiatives, including in infrastructure
The Participants commit to launch and/or expand cooperation on shared priorities such as hydropower development; national park management; derisking of mineral supply chains; and transparent, formalized, and licit end-to-end mineral value chains (from mine to processed metal) that link both countries, in partnership with the S. government and U.S. investors.
RETURN OF IDPS AND REFUGEES
The Participants commit, with the support of UN agencies and appropriate humanitarian organizations, to facilitate the safe and voluntary return of IDPs to their original places of residence in eastern DRC following the return of peace to those areas, as well as DRC citizens who have been displaced by conflict and currently reside in Rwanda or other countries, in a manner consistent with their international legal
MONUSCO AND REGIONAL FORCES ANDMECHANISMS
The Participants commit to support MONUSCO in accordance with its mandate and commit to protect, facilitate, and promote MONUSCO’s ability to protect civilian populations and perform all obligations mandated by the UNSC, including functions that support the implementation of UNSC Resolution
The Participants commit to protect, facilitate, and promote the ability of MONUSCO and regional forces and mechanisms to act in accordance with their respective mandates, including as necessary for an agreed-upon verification mechanism and inter-positional force to facilitate the good faith implementation of these Principles by the Participants and non-state armed groups
PEACE AGREEMENT
In furtherance of these Principles, consistent with the Nairobi Process and the Luanda Process, now merged under the EAC-SADC framework, as endorsed by the AU under President Gnassingbe’s facilitation, taking into consideration the current Doha talks between the government of DRC, the government of Rwanda and M23/AFC and in cooperation and consultation with the U.S. government, the Participants commit to coordinate through existing channels to generate an initial draft Peace Agreement for the Participants’ mutual review no later than May 2.
To resolve disagreements around the draft text of the Peace Agreement, the Participants commit to meet at the Foreign Minister level in Washington, C., hosted by the U.S. Department of State.
Signed at Washington on April 25, 2025, in duplicate, in the English language.
FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF
THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF
THE CONGO
FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF
THE REPUBLIC OF RWANDA
_______________________________
Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation
__________________ _________
Olivier J.P. Nduhungirehe
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
Witnessed by:
THE GOVERNMENT OF
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
__________________ _________
Marco Rubio
Secretary of State
LIST OF ACRONYMS
AU – African Union
DRC – Democratic Republic of Congo
EAC – East African Community
IDPs – Internally Displaced Persons
MONUSCO – United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
SADC – Southern African Development Community
UN – United Nations
UNSC – United Nations Security Council
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