Rwanda and Congo will not sign an economic agreement this week, which is a setback for the peace project

The DRC and Rwanda will not sign an economic framework this week as scheduled, according to four people familiar with the matter who spoke to Reuters on Friday. This is another blow to the Trump administration’s efforts to implement a peace deal and draw in Western investment to the region.

President Donald Trump is making a bold effort to mediate peace and draw billions of dollars in Western investment to a region rich in tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper, lithium, and other minerals after Rwanda-backed M23 rebels took control of two major cities in eastern Congo in January and February, posing the greatest threat to the Kinshasa government in 20 years.

Despite his assertions that the war is over, the June peace agreement in Washington has been stalled, and the Congo’s government and M23 rebels are reaffirming their military stances and accusing each other of violating many agreements.

Congo and Rwanda, which denies support for M23, were scheduled to sign the Regional Economic Integration Framework (REIF) deal following a final round of negotiations in Washington this week.

However, a Rwandan official said that although the wording was approved, negotiations stopped without any initialing because Kinshasa refused to sign.

The official and other people spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity about ongoing, delicate negotiations.

A second person with knowledge of the situation said Congo would not sign the economic framework until 90% of Rwandan forces were out of eastern Congo. Under Washington’s mediation, the countries agreed a broader peace deal in June, which included the withdrawal of Rwandan forces.

The individual pointed out that “they’re going to have to get Trump on the phone,”

The US wants to continue the discussion.

The Rwandan source said the U.S. is trying to resume the initialing procedure, which was not expected to take place on Friday.

“The negotiating teams had finalized the text of the REIF agreement but disappointingly, Kinshasa decided at the last minute not to initial it,” said a Rwandan official.

We support this arrangement and the US mediation process, and we hope that the economic agreement will eventually be finalized. The official went on to say, “The peace process must be successful,”

The U.S. State Department, Rwanda, and Congo did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

“Even though the agreement was finalized, the Congolese had never hidden the fact that they would not sign it as long as the Rwandan army was on their territory. Therefore, we don’t find that strange,” said an African ambassador.

A 2024 agreement that Rwanda would dismantle its military measures in eastern Congo within 90 days was part of a peace deal signed by Rwanda’s and Congo’s foreign ministers in Washington on June 27.

Congolese military operations against the FDLR, a Congo-based armed force made up of militias and surviving members of Rwanda’s former army that carried out the 1994 genocide, are scheduled to terminate within the same timeframe.

Last month, Reuters reported that Rwanda and Congo would begin implementing the agreed-upon security measures on October 1 opens new tab, despite the initial agreement’s 90-day timeline.

Rwanda has reportedly moved at least 7,000 troops across the border to support the M23 rebels, according to analysts and diplomats.

The Washington agreement also stipulated that Kinshasa and Kigali had 90 days to present the framework for regional economic integration. The 90-day deadline was the end of September.

Massad Boulos, Trump’s top African advisor, had hoped that heads of state visiting Washington would sign the economic framework and other agreements by October 23, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Rwanda and Congo would work with other nations, particularly the United States, to strengthen their mineral supply chains and carry out reforms, according to a previous draft of the deal that was made public by Reuters last month.

After the document was accepted by both Rwanda and Congo and discussed by a number of stakeholders, including the business community and international banks, the final round of negotiations between the two countries took place this week.