Washington, DC -- Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today issued the following statement after Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) signed a joint declaration recommitting to the Washington Accords.
“DRC and Rwanda recommitting to the Washington Accords peace agreement can be an encouraging step toward ending decades of conflict in eastern Congo, but a signing ceremony hosted by President Trump risks being more show than substance. Unfortunately, recent diplomatic promises have not resulted in tangible improvements for the Congolese people. Just yesterday, clashes between Congolese troops and the Rwanda-backed M23 militia continued in South Kivu, displacing civilians hoping to rebuild their lives and undermining implementation of the peace process.
“President Trump cannot simply declare this peace deal a success for the sake of stroking his own ego. Nor should he treat Congo’s suffering as a backdrop for exploiting critical minerals while millions of Congolese remain impoverished, as he did today. The administration must ensure the parties adhere to the terms of this agreement and that the Congolese people benefit from the country’s mineral resources. That is the only path to a durable peace and an end to this decades-long conflict.”
“DRC and Rwanda recommitting to the Washington Accords peace agreement can be an encouraging step toward ending decades of conflict in eastern Congo, but a signing ceremony hosted by President Trump risks being more show than substance. Unfortunately, recent diplomatic promises have not resulted in tangible improvements for the Congolese people. Just yesterday, clashes between Congolese troops and the Rwanda-backed M23 militia continued in South Kivu, displacing civilians hoping to rebuild their lives and undermining implementation of the peace process.
“President Trump cannot simply declare this peace deal a success for the sake of stroking his own ego. Nor should he treat Congo’s suffering as a backdrop for exploiting critical minerals while millions of Congolese remain impoverished, as he did today. The administration must ensure the parties adhere to the terms of this agreement and that the Congolese people benefit from the country’s mineral resources. That is the only path to a durable peace and an end to this decades-long conflict.”