Rwandan President Paul Kagame expressed skepticism on Friday over the viability of a recent U.S.-brokered peace deal with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), cautioning that Rwanda would respond firmly to any provocations from its neighbor.
The peace agreement, signed last week, calls for the withdrawal of Rwandan forces from eastern Congo within 90 days. This region has been a flashpoint of tension, with the United Nations accusing Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebel group, which seized major cities earlier this year. Kigali denies aiding the rebels, maintaining that its troops are defending against the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a group linked to the perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
Kagame, speaking at a press conference in Kigali, said Rwanda was committed to the peace process but cast doubt on whether Kinshasa would uphold its side of the bargain. “If the side that we are working with plays tricks and takes us back to the problem, then we deal with the problem like we have been dealing with it,” Kagame warned.
He thanked the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump for mediating the deal but made it clear that Washington would not be to blame if the agreement collapses.
The DRC has not responded publicly to Kagame’s remarks, although it has consistently accused Rwanda of being the aggressor. Meanwhile, both the Congolese government and M23 have agreed to return to Qatar for further peace talks.
The Trump administration has indicated that a successful peace deal could pave the way for a separate investment agreement. This could potentially unlock Western investments in regional mineral supply chains, including tantalum, gold, and copper—critical to global tech and manufacturing sectors.
Kagame also used the press conference to address rumors about his health, sparked by his three-week absence from public events. Brushing off speculation, he joked that managing Rwandan politics might be the only source of his “health problems,” eliciting laughter from the audience.
With both military withdrawal and economic incentives at stake, the coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether this latest push for peace in eastern Congo holds.
