{"id":56465,"date":"2025-12-04T18:07:14","date_gmt":"2025-12-04T18:07:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/rwanda-optimistic-as-u-s-mediated-peace-deal-with-drc-set-for-signing\/"},"modified":"2025-12-08T13:40:33","modified_gmt":"2025-12-08T13:40:33","slug":"rwanda-optimistic-as-u-s-mediated-peace-deal-with-drc-set-for-signing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/rwanda-optimistic-as-u-s-mediated-peace-deal-with-drc-set-for-signing\/","title":{"rendered":"Rwanda optimistic as U.S.-mediated peace deal with DRC set for signing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Speaking during an interview on Newsmax’s \u201cAmerican Agenda\u201d ahead of Thursday’s signing ceremony, Rwanda government spokesperson Yolande Makolo described the deal as \u201cthe best chance for peace, stability, and prosperity that our two countries and the region have.\u201d <\/p>\n

She highlighted that the initiative began when the DRC requested U.S. mediation and praised the role of the Trump administration in addressing the root causes of the conflict.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Trump administration is focusing on the real obstacles to peace, particularly the security threat posed by militias in Eastern Congo,\u201d Makolo said. \u201cThey are also looking at the economic opportunities for both Rwanda and the DRC, including investment from American companies, which is important for regional development.\u201d<\/p>\n

The conflict, Makolo told the American cable network, traces back to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, after which perpetrators fled into the DRC and now lead militias, including at least 12 commanders of the FDLR, who continue to pose a security threat to Rwanda. <\/p>\n

The spokesperson noted that the security threats have forced Rwanda to defend its borders against incursions by the genocidal militia group for the past 31 years.<\/p>\n

Makolo explained that the Washington Accord, which President Paul Kagame and DRC President F\u00e9lix Tshisekedi are set to sign at the White House, builds on a preliminary agreement reached in June. The accord provides for the neutralisation of the FDLR, the cessation of border hostilities, and measures to facilitate regional security.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome progress has been made since June, but there is still work to be done,\u201d Makolo said. \u201cCeasefire violations continue, and the DRC government must fulfil its commitments to deal with the genocidal groups before Rwanda can relax its defensive measures.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to the peace agreement, the two leaders are expected to ratify a Regional Economic Integration Framework that will strengthen cross-border trade and cooperation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is an important step, and we hope to continue U.S. engagement to ensure the process reaches its conclusion,\u201d Makolo said, underscoring Rwanda\u2019s commitment to a lasting resolution.<\/p>\n

\"Speaking<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rwanda is cautiously optimistic as it prepares to sign a landmark U.S.-mediated peace agreement with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), aimed at ending more than three decades of conflict affecting the region.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":131,"featured_media":2000098650,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[75],"byline":[192],"hashtag":[],"class_list":["post-56465","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics-48","tag-homenews","byline-wycliffe-nyamasege"],"bylines":[{"id":192,"name":"Wycliffe Nyamasege","slug":"wycliffe-nyamasege","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":131}],"contributors":[{"id":192,"name":"Wycliffe Nyamasege","slug":"wycliffe-nyamasege","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":131}],"featured_image":{"id":2000098650,"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/makolo-4-56f9f.jpg","alt":"","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","width":0,"height":0,"sizes":{"thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/makolo-4-56f9f.jpg","width":1,"height":1},"medium":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/makolo-4-56f9f.jpg","width":1,"height":1},"medium_large":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/makolo-4-56f9f.jpg","width":1,"height":1},"large":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/makolo-4-56f9f.jpg","width":1,"height":1},"full":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/makolo-4-56f9f.jpg","width":0,"height":0}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56465","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/131"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56465"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56465\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2000098650"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56465"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56465"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56465"},{"taxonomy":"byline","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/byline?post=56465"},{"taxonomy":"hashtag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hashtag?post=56465"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}