United States pushes Congo, Rwanda for peace accord and billion-dollar mineral agreement

The United States is pressing Congo and Rwanda to sign a peace deal at the White House in about two months, along with bilateral mineral deals that would bring billions of dollars of Western investment to the area, U.S. President Donald Trump’s senior advisor for Africa said Reuters on Thursday.

“When we sign the peace agreement … the minerals deal with the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) will be signed on that day, and then a similar package, but of a different size, will be signed on that day with Rwanda,” Massad Boulos stated in an interview in the Qatar’s capital, Doha, as per Reuters report

A United States-backed peace agreement would occur amidst an unprecedented advance by Rwandan-supported M23 rebels in Congo, the recent cycle of violence in a decades-long war, in a area rich in minerals consisting of tantalum and gold. Rwanda rejected suporting the group.

Rwanda and Congo are intended to submit separate drafts of a peace accord on Friday, as per the peace process agreed in U.S. previous week as part of diplomatic measures to stop violence in eastern Congo.

As per Reuters, In middle of May Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State will meet in Washington with the Rwandan and Congolese foreign ministers in an attempts to affirm on a final draft peace agreement, stated by Massad Boulos.

But prior that agreement can be signed, Massad Boulos stated, Rwanda and Congo have to conclude bilateral economic deals with Washington that will see United States and Western companies invest billions of dollars in Congolese mines and infrastructure projects to backing mining in both nations consisting of the processing of minerals in Rwanda.

“The (agreement) with the D.R.C. is at a much bigger scale, because it’s a much bigger country and it has much more resources, but Rwanda also has a lot of resources and capacities and potential in the area of mining as well … not just the upstream, but also midstream and downstream to processing and refining and trading,” According to Massad Boulos, quoted by Reuters.

According to Reuters, Massad Boulos stated United States and Western companies have said Washington they would create multi-billon dollar investments in the area once the bilateral minerals agreements are signed.

Massad Boulos further stated prior the White House signing ceremony can proceed, Washington expects both nations to confront a numerous security issues. For example, Rwanda must pull its soldiers out of Congo and stop its backing for M23 rebels. Congo must confront Rwanda’s security issues with militias such as the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).

Massad Boulos stated that on Wednesday a follow-up committee was appointed to observe both nations move towards the peace accord which includes the United States, Qatar, France and Togo, which acting on behalf of the African Union. (Forelines)