Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta has welcomed the signing of a peace accord between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In a statement on Friday, December 5, Uhuru said the agreement paves the way for renewed cooperation between DRC and Rwanda.
The former President noted that the accord gives hope to millions after decades of conflict in eastern DRC.
“The Washington peace deal now paves the way for renewed cooperation between Rwanda and the DRC, giving millions hope for lasting peace after decades of conflict,” Uhuru said.
The agreement was signed on Thursday, December 4, by President Paul Kagame of Rwanda and President Felix Tshisekedi of DRC at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) in Washington, D.C.
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US President Donald Trump, President William Ruto, President Évariste Ndayishimiye (Burundi) and President João Gonçalves Lourenço (Angola) witnessed the signing of the Washington accord.
Uhuru, who has served as a regional peace facilitator, also joined the leaders in witnessing the signing of the peace deal.
The agreement ends decades of conflict in the region by establishing a permanent ceasefire, the disarmament of rebel groups and provisions for refugees to return home.
It also creates a new framework for economic prosperity, addressing one of the world’s deadliest conflicts, which has claimed more than 10 million lives.
Speaking during the ceremony, President Trump said the US is committed to ending decades of violence and to begin a new era of harmony between the DRC and Rwanda.
"We are settling a war that has been going on for decades. They spent a lot of time killing each other, and now they are going to spend a lot of time hugging, holding hands, and taking advantage of the United States of America economically,” said Trump.
President Kagame thanked Trump for brokering the peace deal between Rwanda and RDC saying his approach was pragmatic.
“The biggest word of thanks goes to President Donald Trump. No one was asking President Trump to take up this task. Our region is far from the headlines, but when Trump saw the opportunity to contribute to peace, he immediately took it,” said Kagame.
On his part, President Tshisekedi expressed gratitude to President Trump and vowed to uphold his side of the agreement.
The Rwanda-DRC conflict dates back to 1996 in the wake of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide.
Following the genocide, Hutu refugees crossed to the DRC and set up refugee camps in the North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.
A section of the extremists in DRC reorganised and launched attacks on Rwanda. In retaliation, Rwanda invaded eastern DRC in 1996.
The intervention sparked the First Congo War and later the Second Congo War, which involved other African nations.
The DRC-Rwanda conflict has resulted in approximately six million deaths over the years.
In early 2025, M23 rebels seized two cities of Goma and Bukavu, in eastern DRC, sparking tension between DRC and Rwanda.
